


Gastertale

by SkeleTaleGastertaleVoidtale



Category: Original Work, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Anxiety, Depression, Gaster is a sad skele, Please dont kill me, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, The skele is a biplolarish skele and needs hugs, Tries to be strong, give him hugs, poor gaster
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-03 04:16:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 42,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8696248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkeleTaleGastertaleVoidtale/pseuds/SkeleTaleGastertaleVoidtale
Summary: This is my Undertale Au.I ask that you please refrain from writing about my characters,but you can create artwork!I'd love to see it!!My tumblr is @skeletalegastertalevoidtale--Long ago,there were two races in the world:Humans and Monsters.A war broke out between Monsters and humans,and it was a violent war.This is the story….The story of one skeleton,and his quest to free those he once walked among,those he called friends and those he once called his kind.The Monsters.





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> My Tumblr: http://skeletalegastertalevoidtale.tumblr.com/

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning

He ran,ushering his beloved in front of him,his mind swamped with thoughts and emotions of death and losing those he loved.His breath came out in sharp rasps,not that he needed it to begin with,his eye lights tiny pinpricks in his sockets,his hands firmly planted on his beloved’s back,pushing her forward more,getting closer and closer to their destination.

 

_ ‘So close..’ _

 

He thought,seeing the entrance in sight over the many of his kind rushing towards it.

 

_ ‘So close to safety….’ _

 

His mind froze mid-thought,his mind flashing to what he desperately needed,yet forgot.He cursed silently,his face moving closer to the ‘ear’ if his love,he saying as loud as he could over the screaming and crying of the other monsters,

 

“I forgot something!!I need to get it!!”

 

Her head turned to face his,her face twisted into that of shock and horror.

 

“You can't be thinking of going back!!”

 

She yelled back,her eye lights having shrunk to small pinpricks,

 

“I can't let you!They’ll kill you!!!”

 

He shook his head,glancing up to see the entrance nearly two hundred feet from them.

 

“I can go back!I have time!!!!”

 

Tightening her grip on the baby in her arms,she turned to fully face her husband,her eye lights even smaller pinpricks in her eye sockets.

 

“Gaster no!You can always get another one!!!It’s not important!!!!”

 

They continued to go towards the entrance,the man she called her husband,Dr.W.D.Gaster,smiled at her,kissed her,her being Dr.Cedarville Cursive,aka CC or Cee,on the cheek and said,

 

“Do not worry Cee,I will be fine.You take Sans and go ahead.I will see you there.”

 

And turned the other direction,running back the way he came,finally out of her sight in a matter of minutes.She felt a few reddish orange tears fall down her face,finally nodding and going towards the entrance,hearing the screams and cries of a few monsters,hoping to Asgore that he would come back ok…..or at all.Withholding a sob,she made her way towards the entrance,all monsters being ushered towards a cave entrance on Mt.Ebott,her thoughts going towards her husband,hoping that they would somehow reunite underground,away from all this chaos and death.

 

\-----

 

Meanwhile,Gaster was running as fast as his long legs would carry him,back to his village,back to his home,where he left the one most important thing besides his son’s baby clothes and his half finished gadgets,that being a picture of his family,being himself,his wife Cee and Sans,no older than three years old.

 

Soon seeing his house not too far away,he smiled in relief,but as soon as his eye lights flicked up,he was met with the sight of an angry human brandishing a thick spiked club,screaming obscenities at him,calling him terrible names such as a ‘demon’ and saying that they should go back to hell.His eye lights shrunk in fear as he narrowly dodged to the side in time for the club to miss him entirely,running at a full sprint towards where he last saw his home,quickly glancing back to see the human running in another direction.He sighed in relief,his face snapping back to face forward.

 

The sea of screaming and terrified monsters was enormous,his sprinting coming to a halt,only in time to see one of the powerful humans brandish a stick,Gaster only able to watch in horror as light came from it in the color red,blasting those in its path to dust.His jaw dropped at the horrifying scene,it taking him a moment to shake the sight out of his mind,turning to run full sprint towards his destination.

 

Smiling in delight,his home now within reach,he sped up a slight bit more,his eye lights rapidly flicking to the left and right,trying to stay alert in case of any new threats.His senses were overloaded with death,each scream ringing through his skull,louder than any bell,deafening to his ‘ears’,the scent of dust flying into the air,smelling oddly of earth and many types of fur or scales,the sight of dust flying through the air much like millions of stars glittering in the night sky,the taste of his magic on his ecto tongue,as he bit it to stifle his sobs, and the feeling of his breath escaping him the faster he ran.

 

Soon it felt as though the world began to blur,sobs and screams fading into background noise,muffled by the deafening sound of his soul beats,his breath audible to his ‘ears’ as he finally looked away from the carnage to his right,only to jolt as a body blocked his path,his home only mere hundreds of feet behind the dangerous human.

 

The human screamed and swung at the scientist,Gaster only having seconds to move,the impressively sized stick hitting him in the side of the ribs,a definite crack resounding from the impact.The skeleton shrieked in pain,whipping his head around to face his assailant,only to be met with the stick to his face,sending him reeling to the ground,his jaw having creaked upon impact,but not breaking.Gaster rested his hands upon the ground,his mind reeling from the impact,his head turning to face the human,his blurred vision making one human appear to be many.

 

A startled screech left the scientist’s mouth,and,to the best of his ability,tried to move away from the unknown human assailant,a grunt being the last thing he heard before feeling the impact of the stick upon the back of his skull,his vision going black.

 


	2. Sinking In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all sinks in...

He groaned,his eye lights flicking into his sockets,only to be blinded by the harsh light of the sun,his arm coming up to shield his eye sockets from the light.Slowly,he sat up,his eye lights widening at the sight before him.His home lay untouched,but the sky was grey,dust and ash drifting down to the ground around him.His mouth lay agape,his hands going to rest on the ground and,without looking away from the sky,he stood fluidly.Raising his arm,he looked down at his hand,moving his fingers together to feel the substance upon them.

 

“.......Dust?”

 

He questioned,his eye lights flicking back to the sky,his eyebrows drawing into a sorrowful expression.His thoughts scrambled for an explanation,but none came to him.Gaster turned to face the house he once called home,the sun shining from behind the quaint structure.The 

ash-darkened sky was lighter with the sun’s gentle rays,the ash and dust raining down dark in contrast to the lighter coloring of the horizon behind it.Taking a cautious step forward,he started to stride towards his empty home,his sleek black shoes and the bottom of his pants getting coated in a layer of ash and dust.As Gaster approached the back door of his humble abode,he gasped in shock.The back door was ripped off its bottom hinge,the top hinge barely holding the damaged door on the doorframe.

 

Now just outside the frame,he heard the door creaking softly in the slight wind,the skeleton cautiously sticking his head into the home,seeing it as empty as before,but it looked as though it had been ransacked.Furniture was flipped or gone,the walls smashed and paintings ripped and on the floor,frames broken to pieces.The scientist entered quietly,his magic scanning quickly for any souls of humans,the only souls being that of humans many miles from his home,and what animals had gotten into the house.

 

Lowering his guard,as he knew he was alone,he quickly started scanning the room for what he had first come for,that in which he had risked his life for.Rushing over to where he had last seen it,he bends over and dusts it off,the item in question being that of a photograph of him and his wife and child.He cradled the picture carefully,the frame having broken and glass having shattered,the man near tears as he held it in his shaking hands.He remembered it as though it was yesterday,the day Sans had turned three,a happy day it had been,Asgore was there to wish his friend’s son happy birthday.He had brought Toriel and a barely one month old Asriel,the little goat monster giggling at the sight of his skeletal uncle,Gaster laughing as the child had grabbed his finger-

 

A creak startled him from his reminiscing,the scientists head snapping in the direction of the sound,his eye lights having shrunk to tiny pinpricks.He clutched the photograph in a death grip close to his chest,afraid of losing the one thing that meant the world to him besides the two in the photo themselves.Narrowing his sockets,he clutched the photo using one hand,his other coming away to glow purple,his eye lights glowing purple in response,a few sharpened bones hovering behind him.

 

No,he refused to cower this time,refused to cower in his own home away from the animals that had stolen his family away and had cast all his friends and loved ones down into a prison.His eyes glowed brighter in response to his anger,his hand clenching into a fist,his teeth clenched tight,the bones ready and aimed where the noise had come from.

 

Gaster refused to hide from these demons,those which feared him and his kind,accused them of many horrid atrocities,and yet,yet!,they were the ones that struck first,attacking and killing a skeleton he had known since childhood.The humans had then declared war after the monsters had struck back,the humans slaughtering thousands of his kind,many skeletons,and other types of monsters,dying in the front lines,including his own parents.

 

_ ‘Oh....they would pay.’ _

 

The scientist thought,his magic glowing intensely,his sharpened bones turning into those of deadly weapons,the bones seeming to look as though they were violently snapped,many deadly splinters of bone coming from the sharpened end of each bone.His eye lights were as bright as the magic flaring around his hands,his anger growing the more that he thought,fangs beginning to form where his canines sat in his mouth,his feet taking him closer and closer to the source of the sound.

 

The humans would pay dearly for taking his loved ones from him,his wife and children,one unborn,and sending them into a dark pit of hell,to live the rest of their lives in the dark,never having known how beautiful and amazing the surface was.A dark chuckle rippled from his mouth,his magic so intense it lit up the dark room,the air filled with the intensity of his magic,Gaster having small lightning bolts of magic shooting off of his body,they colliding with the walls around him,leaving burn marks from his burning rage.

 

A final noise broke his concentration,the raging scientist letting the built up rage and magic strike,the bones narrowly missing the source of the noises,it being a harmless rabbit,the poor animal bolting for the way it came in,the enraged scientist screaming as his attacks went after the animal,the powerful attacks missing the animal in its escape.

 

Panting and shaking from his enraged exertion,the skeleton hugged the picture clutched to his chest with both hands,the finality of what his decision had done weighed on his mind,the fact that he was now stuck on this earthly hell,while his loved ones and friends would forever be stuck in that underground prison that the humans locked them in,and all he could do was think of how his sons would now grow up without a father,his wife now without a husband to love.

 

A pained scream left Gaster’s mouth,the monster falling to his knees,the sheer pain and sorrow of the situation coming out in this one action,purple magic tears falling down his face.The scream didn’t end,the skeleton continuing to scream until his throat became sore,the nonexistent flesh aching with the effort as he continued to try and scream,his hoarse cries falling upon the walls of the empty house.He hunched over,his head falling forward as he tried once more after taking a breath to scream,his hands holding the picture falling to rest upon his knees with the breathless cry,the scientist having to finally stop as he coughed,purple magic still falling freely from his eye sockets,his coughs only irritating his sore throat more.

 

The pain of the loss had finally sunk in,the monster in sheer agony as his soul pounded harshly with the ragged sobbing that came from his mouth.Gaster,now hunched over,as his body shook and shuddered,the tears seeming to be an endless stream of magic,his soul pounding in his chest.Big fat tear drops fell upon the broken frame in his hands,some staining the picture with a slight tint of purple,Gaster thinking with all his soul,that he would never see those in which he loved ever again.


	3. Heartache,Daydreams And Inspiration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short but here we are!

It took a while for the emotionally unstable scientist to gather his wits,it being dark by the time he finally looked up,light purple streaks stained onto his white bones.Gaster stood shakily,sniffling and wiping the dried tears from his face,the skeleton looking around in the pitch darkness.His eye lights once again glowing purple,a Gaster Blaster appearing before him,the light of his magic illuminating the room around him,the tall monster now starting to navigate the empty home.He started for the kitchen,or what was left of it,he searching through the cabinets for something to eat.He stumbled across a few apples,half a loaf of bread,some bananas,some dried meat and some dried fish.He took everything and placed it into a basket,the scientist then taking the basket and heading for the stairs.

 

As he walked up the stairs and towards his bedroom,he noticed much of the items he valued such as vases and statues were missing or smashed,the debris scattered down the stairs and into the main floor of the house.Reaching the top of the stairs,he headed straight for his bedroom,not sparing a glance towards anything around him,not needing a reminder that everything he had known up until yesterday was now gone.

 

Gaster placed the basket atop a nightstand,taking an apple and a few pieces of dried meat,and beginning to eat,as his magic was running low and he hadn’t eaten since yesterday.As he ate,he tried not to think of much,his thoughts mostly conceived of his wife and children.

 

What would his unborn child have looked like?Would he look more like Gaster,or more like his mother,as Sans did with the round face and big grin.*Or would he have looked more like his father,tall,sleek and a more elongated face with a rounded top and pointed chin?

 

He sighed,leaning back upon the bed and chewing the remnants of his meat.What would they have named him?Aubrey?Damion?Carme?He tilted his head back,settling more into the pillows,a deep frown set into his features.Would Sans remember him?His eyes started to drift closed,his vision blurring.Would Cee remember him in years time?His eyes drifted shut.Would  _ anyone _ know he was gone?A deep sigh left his throat.

 

_ ‘I guess it will not matter…’ _

  
  


\-------

  
  


A sharp crack startled the scientist from his slumber,his eyes glowing brightly as he awoke,two blasters summoned beside him.He looked around in absolute terror,he soon realizing it was nothing more than a bolt of lightning,Gaster quickly shooing one blaster away,one staying in his need for light.Upon sitting up,he looked out the window,seeing it was daytime,the time not available for him to guess,as the sky was incredibly dark,rain pouring down from the sky endlessly.

 

A long sigh left the scientist,a few bones cracking as he stretched,as the nap turned into a night of sleep he had needed.Standing up,Gaster walked over to his bureau,as his bedroom was mostly undisturbed,a few clothes strewn about from the night before as he and his wife had changed clothes.

 

Looking through his clothes,he found something to wear,as his current clothes were covered in dirt and ash,a few holes in his shirt and pants.He changed quickly,the skeleton moving away from his bureau to take his dirty clothes and instinctively throw them in the dirty laundry hamper,he then striding gracefully towards the stairs,the scientist's mind already at work on ways to try and help the monsters.

 

After pulling himself out of his grief and rage from last night,he decided that he shouldn’t think of what he had lost,but what he could do to remedy the loss.Ways to free the monsters were churning throughout his mind,he automatically discarding those in which he knew wouldn't work or needed things he knew he didn't have access to.

 

A smile dawned onto his face,as he had a few theories in which might work,but needed time and resources,most of which he could get ahold of.He quickly headed towards the cellar,the monster swiftly turning on the lamp beside his head,he shutting the door behind himself as Gaster swiftly descended the stairs and into his lab.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *(Hers can open unlike the canon version of Sans.)


	4. The Village And An Unsuspecting Ally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaster meets someone.

**_(The humans in this time period are side characters,but are important nonetheless.They help in ways only these characters would know how.Enjoy them!)_ **

 

After many hours of tinkering downstairs,as he had done the for the last two weeks,Gaster emerged from his lab,only to start searching around the empty and messy home.His soul glowing dimly,as a Gaster Blaster illuminated the darkness,the monster searched hungrily for something to eat,he only coming up empty,as his small supply was diminished and finally gone hours before.

 

He had worked late into the night and well into the next day,the tired and hungry skeleton having dark purple rings under his eye sockets,showing his fatigue,his dim soul showing his hunger.The purple upside down heart pulsed weakly,the magical organ’s lack of magic use due to it's owners hunger.A hungry monster meant a low magic supply.

 

With a heavy sigh,the scientist concluded what he had sadly known before he searched,that there was no food in the house.With a weary and knowing sigh,that he would have to go to the nearest human village and scavenge up food with what gold he dared use,he scowled.Who knew when his immense wealth,being the new Royal Scientist,would be necessary?

 

With another heavy sigh,he strode tiredly towards the stairs,Gaster climbing them lethargically,to finally reach his bedroom,where he searched drawers until he found what he was looking for;a long black cloak.Donning the cloak,he made sure to cover his hands with gloves,he descended the stairs,heading to what was left of the front door.He lifted his hood,and strode out into the night,the Gaster Blaster disappearing into a small cloud of purple smoke.

 

\---

 

The walk to the village was long and tiring,the weary skeleton panting softly for air he didn't need.The trek was more tiring than he thought,the monster village almost destroyed and a mile or two from a human village.As he entered,he was greeted by many passerby,waving and giving a polite greeting.He waved in return,smiling and tilting his head just enough that they could see his happy grin.

 

A happy grin it may have been,but happy was far from what he felt.The anger from two weeks ago burned softly in his chest,a scowl donning his face once he looked away.

 

_ ‘Get what you need and get out before you make a scene.’ _

 

The scientist thought to himself,a few more friendly waves being thrown at a few human men,

 

_ ‘If you get angry you will just make a scene.’ _

 

With a sigh Gaster finally reached the market,the skeleton grabbing a few items and placing them into a basket,then into two,then three.He finally paid for four baskets full of food,varying in colors and flavors,and went to walk home,but a few human men stopped him in his tracks.The men looked as though they were scrutinizing him,their eyes narrowed and flicking up and down his cloaked form.

 

“Ya ain’t from around here are ya?”

 

One man asked warily,the tall 6’1”,big muscled man,having shaggy dark brown hair pulled back into a messy and dirty ponytail,Gaster assuming to be a blacksmith due to his big and dirty hands,along with smudges of black upon his face and arms.The grey-blue eyes of the man scanned the skeletons face,of what he could see of it,searching for something.For what,he didn't know.

 

“Ah,n-no I am not.”

 

The scientist stuttered,flashes in his mind reminding him just how dangerous these people were.

 

“I-I come from the east,a village near the bottom of the mountain.”

 

The men beside the blacksmith gasped,one,a short freckled ginger boy,looking no older than thirteen,said,

 

“That’s where the monster village is!How can you-”

 

The blacksmith shushed the boy,his angry tone making Gaster’s nonexistent skin crawl.

 

“Enough George!”

 

The blacksmith smiled apologetically,looking away from the child.

 

“I’m sorry for George here.He ain’t as bright as he seems.He may be my apprentice but he don' know when ‘ta shut his mouth.”

 

Tilting his worn and torn black hat back,he crossed his arms and said,

 

“I say ya got guts living over there.They say it’s dangerous over there.”

 

With a warm smile,he reaches his hand out and says,

 

“ ‘Ma name is Fred.Most folks ‘round here call me Black.What’s your name stranger?”

 

Gaster smiled,reaching to grasp the man’s hand in a firm grip.He froze only for a second before he answered,shaking the hand holding his.

 

“My name is Aster.It is a pleasure to meet you.”

 

The black smith withdrew his hand,placing both on his hips.

 

“Aster eh?That’s an odd name.”

 

Gaster forced a smile,saying as coolly as he could,

 

“Well my mother named me so I did not exactly have a choice.”

 

Sensing the tension,Fred waved his hands in a dismissive manner,replying,

 

“I ain’t mean nothin’ by that.’Tis just a name I ain’t heard of before.”

 

The blacksmith smiled,his hands back on his hips.

 

“As a peace offerin’,how ‘bout I make ya a knife?It will only be to protect ya from them animals and stuff.I heard all the monsters were sent underground,so they won’ be a problem.”

 

The skeleton almost scowled at the offering,but the sincerity of it made his soul warm.With a smile,Gaster replied,

 

“You do not have to do that.I can protect myself.”

 

The blacksmith shook his head,his dirty face beaming brightly.

 

“ ‘Tis no trouble!It’ll be a piece of pie!Nothing fancy shmancy,but still somethin’ handy and light enough for ya to carry around.”

 

The scientist thought for a moment,this man seeming more accepting of him than any other human in the village.Most gave him glares or odd looks.This human was nothing but warm and welcoming,yet still intimidating in size and strength.The skeleton decided to take the man up on his offer,he saying,

 

“I guess.....it could not hurt….”

 

Fred beamed brightly.

 

“Fantastic!”

 

The intensely muscled man grabbed hold of Gaster’s upper right arm,picking the scientist up and sitting him upon his shoulders,the man laughing and saying,

 

“You’re a light one aren't ya?!Ya need some meat on them bones!”

 

Gaster,out of fear from being picked up,yelped,his magic instinctively checking the man's soul,it being a bright green,having streaks of yellow,blue,orange and purple.His arms wrapped around the man's throat,the skeletons groceries on the broad shoulders of the blacksmith being a place to rest the heavy baskets.The man below him laughed wholeheartedly,he beginning to walk in a direction,presumably in the direction of his forge/home.

 

He finally relaxed,reassured by his soul coloring,although unusual,the green of Kindness reassured him of the man's intentions,which meant him no harm.Fred had shooed his apprentices away,being George,Joe and Shaun,three teenage boys learning the blacksmith's craft from the middle aged man.The brown haired man spoke of his craft,telling of the many weapons and things he had made,he gesturing wildly with his hands when spinning his tales.

 

When they reached the edge of the village,the two had spoken a lot to each other,growing to learn a lot about each other in the small time spent together.Fred’s workshop was a little ways away from the edge of the village itself,the two approaching the two story home,having a small flimsy fence around it.Fred explained that the first story was where he sold and refined his hand crafted items as he entered the house,bowing his body down so Gaster didn't whack his head upon the doorframe.He carefully ascended the stairs and in the room they entered was two beds,a table and some chairs.This was obviously where the blacksmith slept and ate.

 

He lifted Gaster from his shoulders to the floor,the tall man,the scientist being 7’2”,asked,

 

“So ya said ya lived on the bottom of the mountain?”

 

The skeleton nodded,not so wary of the friendly human,but still on edge,

 

“Yes I did.”

 

Turning to face the man,as he had been set down in front of the human,facing forward instead of facing the way they came in,he finished,

 

“But what does that have to do with the knife you mentioned?”

 

Fred’s face was hard to read to the skeleton,but what he did see in the face before him,was tension and wariness,the man’s body language stating that he was on edge.As sudden as it came,the tension drained from the air,the dark haired man smiling and replying softly,

 

“Ah nothin’.Just worried about ‘ma friend getting hurt over there with all those animals over there.”

 

The blacksmith gestured to a table nearby,he finishing with,

 

“Don’ be afraid to get comfortable.It may not be much,but it’s home to me.”

 

Gaster smiled forcibly,he setting his baskets upon the table and sitting down to gather his wits.Fred walked towards the stairs leading to the first floor,he stopping momentarily to say,

 

“I’ll be down here if ya need me.I’m jus’ finishing some orders that are jus’ about finished.”

 

The skeleton nodded,his mind wandering as he mumbled back,

 

“Alright.”

 

And soon hearing the footsteps of his human friend.He sighed,leaning back and musing to himself,

 

“Why am I getting so comfortable with this human?”

 

He sat back up and gestured with his hands unconsciously.

 

“This human barely knows me,yet he has been nothing but sincere in his actions towards me since we met!”

 

The scientist lay his head in his hands and sighed,wondering what he had gotten himself into.

 


	5. Curiosity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Curious,curiouser yet curiouser.....

Gaster had started to doze by the time Fred returned from downstairs,the scientist startled out of his slumber by a hand grabbing his shoulder.His wild gaze lifted to see none other than his human friend,his racing soul beats starting to slow as his memory rushed back,he sighing in exasperation,the scientist mumbling,

 

“It is just you Fred…”

 

The dark haired man smiled,his face and hands even dirtier than before,the blacksmiths warm smile prompting one from the skeleton himself.

 

“I didn’ mean to startle ya,but I just finished my final piece.There’s nothing left ta do but start ya knife tomorrow.”

 

The monsters hands came up to rub at his eye sockets in lethargy,a yawn coming from the skeletons mouth.Fred’s smile fell,the blacksmith mumbling,

 

“If ya is tired ya coulda said somethin’.I woulda fixed up the guest bed if ya was that tired.”

 

Gaster smiled,rubbing his right socket as he murmured tiredly,

 

“You do not have to do that.I will come back when you are done with the knife.”

 

He went to stand,but was stopped by the scrutinizing gaze of the dark haired blacksmith,his firm gaze holding the scientist in place.The man’s head shook,the craftsman’s tone turning stern as he asked,

 

“Ya haven’t been gettin’ sleep have ya?”

 

A beefy finger was pointed at his face,the skeleton leaning away as the blacksmith continued,

 

“Ya have dark spots under ya eyes.Don’ think because ya have that dark hood that I can’ see the darkness under ya eyes.Dark hoods also hide dark spots well in ma opinion.So that must be why ya are wearing it.”

 

His hand moved out of Gaster’s face,the man placing his hands onto his hips,his dirty and smeared apron still on from when the scientist first saw him.Fred tisked and murmured,

 

“Ya can’ go home like this.I insist you stay until the mornin’.”

 

The scientist chuckled,rubbing his left socket,

 

“Fred I assure you I am fine.I just have been working on something important.It is fine-”

 

“I know you haven’t been takin’ care of yourself!!”

 

The blacksmith interjected,spinning to face the scientist,concern laced upon his bearded features,his loud voice booming throughout the room.The dark haired man swiftly turned away before getting a good glimpse of Gaster’s shocked and scared expression,he panting for a minute before stuttering out,

 

“ ‘I-I know you don’ know me well Aster,but I care about ya.I don’ want ya messing yourself up like that.I know a good person when I see ‘em,but you seem to forget what ya need when caught up on ya important stuff.I know ya may be wonderin’ why I care so much,but I jus’ think ya outta take better care of yourself.I knew someone that messed themselves up by not takin’ care of himself,an’ he ain’t so good these days.I don’ want ya ending up like him.”

 

Fred refused to face the scientist,his soft panting the only sound in the room for a few minutes before his soft voice pierced the silence.

 

“I just ask ya to stay here tonight.Just so ya get some sleep.Ya can go in the mornin’ and come back in a week for ya knife.”

 

The blacksmith finished setting up the bed,he then heading towards the opposite end of the room where another bed sat,the blacksmith silently climbing into it and facing the wall.The room was silent for about twenty minutes before Fred spoke up,the dark haired man mumbling,

 

“I’m sorry for yellin’ like that.Jus’ get some sleep Aster.Goodnight.”

 

Gaster stood there for what seemed like hours before he shook himself out of the stupor that the ordeal had put him in,the scientist opting to take the blacksmiths advice and sleep,he keeping all of his clothes on,including his cloak,he sitting on the edge of the bed to slip off his shoes and lay into the bed,he quickly checking with his low magic to be sure Fred was asleep before summoning a magic hand to grab the blanket at the end of the bed,the blanket now firmly in his grasp as he rolled to face the opposite wall,the one by the table,and get comfortable,his sockets closing as he drifted into sleep with a sigh.

 

\----

 

A groan escaped his mouth as he returned to consciousness,the scientist groaning at the bright light filtering into the room,his hand reaching down to grab the edge of the blanket,Gaster covering his face with it in an attempt to get more sleep.He hated being up early in the morning…...A mumble came from the monsters once again slumbering form,the closed sockets of the skeleton covered by the black hood in which he wore.

 

Heavy footsteps sounded upon the stairs,the dirty form of Fred coming into view.The blacksmith crept across the room slowly,making his way to the sleeping form of his guest,the dark haired man uneasy yet determined to do what he was curious about since he met this stranger.

 

To see what was behind the hood.

 

Fred would be lying if he said he wasn't curious as to why the man in the second bed in his home wore the cloak all the time.Since the bearded man had seen his guest at the market,something deep within himself said something was off about the stranger,the blacksmith compelled to go over and say something.Now that the stranger,Aster,lay in his guest bed,Fred was tempted to remove the hood,and see what really was behind the dark shadows masking his face.

 

His hand reached forward and was about to touch the dark fabric,but the dark haired man withdrew it slowly,his conscience telling him otherwise.

 

Aster had told him of losing his wife and children to a horrible accident,he hadn’t said in detail what had happened,falling silent shortly after mentioning it.Fred had tried to ask further questions,but the tall man had stayed silent,he then diverging to tell the blacksmith how he was a very studious man,studying the stars and telling him of the many shapes he had found,calling them constellations.

 

The blacksmith found this very interesting,but it didn't make much sense as he hadn’t had much of an education.The tall man was smart,he could even be a noble in London if he traveled there and studied,the dark haired man thought.London was a great place to show how smart you were and easily make money.He hadn’t said anything to Aster,as he said how much he liked living by the mountain and that it was the ideal place to watch the stars.’Stargaze’ as he had called it.

 

Fred knew the man was passionate about what he did,and that’s what ate at him.What if he hid behind the cloak because he was grotesque or something had happened to his face in an accident and he didn't want it to be seen as he feared being shunned?The blacksmith bit his stubby fingernails,a bad habit which he did when he was nervous.He wasn't one to pry into people’s business,as he was a very humble man,but wasn't afraid to fight if needed.He had done many bad things in his youth,many of which he wasn't proud of.

 

Shaking off the reminiscent thoughts of the past,Fred neared ever closer to the bedside of Aster,the man’s hand shaking.What if Aster awoke and was mad at him for looking?What if he found out later and hated the blacksmith for looking,taking it as a gesture of mistrust and decided to leave and never return?

 

The thoughts devastated the blacksmith,his hand withdrawing a second time.Was it worth it to look?Aster surely wouldn't forgive him if he found out,and would surely not be happy about it.But his curiosity was peaking rapidly,his perseverance goading him into grasping the dark material and slowly lifting it off of the face of his temporary roommate.

 

With a quiet gasp,the blacksmith dropped the hood and slowly backed away.

 

Oh.

 

OH.

 

There wasn't a man behind the cloak at all,but a MONSTER.A  _ SKELETON _ at that.Fred’s hands shook and trembled,the monster in the bed rolling over with a sigh and settling back down to sleep,not knowing of the man in the room that had discovered his greatest secret.

 

**OH.**

 

The blacksmith couldn't believe his eyes.He had witnessed the monsters being driven underground,been there and seen how thousands upon thousands were slaughtered and others sent into imprisonment.For a brief moment his mind flashed with the thought of this monster witnessing his loved ones die,the horrid thoughts of that night rushing back into his mind.

 

What had they  _ DONE _ ??

 

If Aster was as he seemed to be,then they had slaughtered and imprisoned many gentle creatures like the skeleton sharing his home,and had done so upon the sight of a ‘dangerous monster attacking the village’ and had killed said monster.Had it all been a lie?That the monster that was killed was probably coming into town for the same reasons that Aster had?

 

Fred couldn't believe that anyone as nice as Aster would be killed for any reason.

 

He shook his head,tears nearing the brink of overflowing.He couldn't have known that what he had done that night was wrong.

 

He backed away,the blacksmith looking down at his hands then over at the form of Aster.

 

He hadn’t known the weapons he made would be used to slaughter thousands.

 

He hadn’t known they had possibly taken the lives of this monsters family and friends.

 

He hadn’t known that the few monsters he killed would've been as kind and gentle as Aster was.

 

He didn't KNOW.

 

And yet,Fred felt as though he had been the one to kill them all.The blacksmith turned,being cautious not to wake his guest,and slowly made his way downstairs,he going to sit at the counter beside the newly finished blade from last night,only to stare at it in horror,tears finally brimming up and over his grey-blue eyes,flowing in silent anguish down his cheeks.


	6. Revelations And Understanding

Gaster stirred,the skeleton opening his eye sockets to stare up at the wooden ceiling,a yawn coming from his mouth,his limbs stretching and popping softly in the darkness.

 

_ ‘Wait………darkness??’ _

 

Sitting up quickly,grabbing his head quickly as a rush of  dizziness washing over him,the scientist looking out the window to his left,seeing indeed that it was dark.He cursed silently,he sitting on the edge of the bed and stretching once more,for if he didn't he’d have stiff joints later,and stood,turning to face the stairs,only to be greeted by the sight of Fred coming up,the blacksmith stopping midway up,his eyes locked on the skeleton.The sight startling the scientist,as he hadn't expected Fred to be there.

 

“Oh Fred….”

 

The scientist murmured,his hand raising to his chest,as his soul had jumped at the sudden appearance.A smile fell onto his face,the skeleton finishing,

 

“It is just you.You gave me quite a scare my friend.”

 

Taking a step forward,Gaster asked,

 

“But why did you not you wake me?You could have woken me.”

 

The dark haired man shifted,his eyes dropping from the scientist’s face.

 

“I-I’m sorry.I didn’ want ta wake ya.Ya seemed to have needed the rest.”

 

The skeleton smiled,nodding and murmuring,

 

“It is alright.Though I should not have slept so long,I have things I need to get to.”

 

Something popped up in his mind,he adding on,

 

“Oh and by the way,did you start the knife yet?I do not want to trouble you with it,but you seemed so intent on making it I felt I needed to ask.”

 

Fred perked up at that,the blacksmith looking anxious,but answering nonetheless.

 

“I did.I started the forging today after I finished polishing the knife I finished yesterday.The guy came in today an’ picked it up.He said it was the best forging he had ever seen,an’ wanted another soon.”

 

The blacksmith shrugged,crossing his arms.

 

“I said he could have any he wanted,as long as it’s somthin’ I know how to make.”

 

Gaster smiled,replying,

 

“It is wonderful that you have such an impact on people with something like a knife.I think you will have many repeat customers.”

 

Fred smiled sheepishly,his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.

 

“Don’ be like that.Ya and ya stuff on stars ‘n all is great too.Don’ just give me compliments.”

 

The skeleton laughed,he murmuring,

 

“I will not,now that I know you do not want all the compliments.”

 

Fred laughed wholeheartedly,the burly man joining in on the lighter atmosphere.After they both calmed down,Gaster stood up and fixed his clothes,having been a bit wrinkled,and murmured,

 

“It was nice to stay the night,but I really must go.I have to get these baskets home and it is already dark out.”

 

He went to pick up his baskets,but the blacksmith murmured,

 

“A-Aster,that doesn'' seem like a good idea….”

 

The scientist glanced back to the dark haired man behind him his hands still working on fixing everything in his baskets.

 

“Do not worry Fred,I will be fine,there is nothing you need to worry about.”

 

The blacksmith was mumbling in concern as the skeleton was talking,the mumbles drowned out by the scientists speaking,and the light creaking of the baskets.Gaster chuckled at his friend's concern,the scientist adding on,even though the dark haired mans mumbling got louder as he spoke,

 

“Fred I will be fine.I have walked my way home many times,there is absolutely noth-”

 

“I KNOW WHAT YA ARE!!!”

 

The silence after Fred’s statement was heavy,the room so quiet,a pin could drop and it wouldn't disturb the thick cloud of tense energy the two occupants stood in.The scientist turned slowly to look at the blacksmith,his hands slowly coming up to feel his head,he feeling nothing but the bone that made up his face,a look of utter horror crossing the scientists features.He hadn’t realized his hood was down from the moment he sat up.

 

His eyelights scanned the facial features of the man standing on the stairs,finding nothing but regret and sadness.Confusion shot through his mind,Gaster not knowing why Fred would have such a look,unless……

 

Horror overtook his face again,the scientist’s eye lights shooting up to the face of the blacksmith.He tilted his head,his eye sockets narrowing as he asked,his finger pointing at the dark haired man,horror still etched onto his face,

 

“Did…….did you lift my hood?”

 

Immediately regret,guilt and sadness flashed across the face of the blacksmith,the scientist knowing in a flash that the look on Fred's face was confirmation.Anger swelled within his breast,the scientist’s eye lights lighting purple in response,but quickly turning into tiny white pinpricks of fear,as the reality of the situation sunk in.

 

He was in a small confined space with a human.

 

A human with WEAPONS.

 

Absolute fear settles into the scientists bones,they rattling softly as he backed slowly away from the bed he had just gotten up from,the blacksmith coming fully up the stairs,he saying softly,outstretching his hand,

 

“Aster listen,-”

 

Gaster backed away from the hand,the terrified skeleton backing further away,his eyelights jumping from the hand to the face of the human,and once he hit the wall,he started backing into a corner,the scientist fearing for his life.He should've never trusted a human with his well being.

 

Said human slowly approached,having withdrew his hand,the dark haired man trying again,

 

“Aster listen please,-”

 

He was cut off by a yelp,the scientist crashing to the floor,having tripped over a piece of discarded wood,the skeleton looking fearfully at the human before him,still approaching him.He would surely be hurt or killed.

 

Fred had absolutely NO intention of harming his friend.In his eyes,he wasn't sure what to do with the new knowledge,but he really didn't want to have something bad happen to his friend if he left and was hurt by someone else in the village.He knew Aster was a good person,he felt it as if it was an unconscious feeling,telling him that the monster before him was good and would never do harm upon him.Reaching out again,kneeling down as he did so,he said softly,

 

“Aster,I don' want to hurt ya.”

 

His eyebrows furrowed in sadness,the skeleton before him shaking more,his rattling bones now audible to his ears.His grey-blue eyes scanned the face of the scientist,he trying one last time with a firm tone,

 

“Aster.”

 

The scientists eyelights flicked up to meet the grey-blue eyes of the human before him,the trembling skeleton gathering his wits enough to answer the man before him.

 

“Y-yes?”

 

The skeleton stuttered,his eyelights a bit bigger in terms of how his mind now functioned,it being just enough to ward off his fight or flight instincts long enough to answer.Fred smiled at the answer,he offering his hand once again to say,

 

“I won’ hurt ya.I never planned on hurtin’ ya.”

 

Gaster stopped shaking,looking up to fully stare into the eyes on the human before him,his eyelights widening back to normal.Fred smiled at the sight,he assuming it was good that the little pupil-esque things in his friend's eyes were big again.

 

“You will not?”

 

The scientist murmured,his memories flashing violently,mostly of humans killing his kind and dust flying everywhere.His eyelights dilated again,not as small as before,but still quite small.

 

“But,thousands of us died,”

 

His bones began to rattle as he spoke,his arms unconsciously wrapping around his torso.

 

“Thousands of monsters died….”

 

Purple tears brimmed in Gasters eye sockets,the lightly glowing fluid falling down his cheeks as he continued,

 

“Dust was everywhere,the shattering of souls was all around me….”

 

The scientist sobbed,his head falling to rest on his knees,the skeleton shaking and crying as he rocked back and forth on the floor.

 

“I do not want to die…..I do not want anyone else to die….I....I can not find her.I need to find her…..”

 

The skeleton sobbed softly,his body shaking and bones rattling as he broke down,the emotional distress on his mind finally taking its toll.

 

Fred’s eyebrows furrowed,the burly man sitting beside the skeleton,and when he wasn't pushed away,he wrapped his arms around the crying monster,he shushing and reassuring the scientist that everything was ok,the blacksmith not leaving his side for the rest of the night. 


	7. Tension,An Unexpected Visit,Work And Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A very long chapter..... :D

The next morning,when Fred had finished getting ready for the day,he headed downstairs,where a delicious aroma met his nostrils,a confused but welcoming smell to his senses.As he entered the first floor of his home/business,Fred was shocked to see Gaster was standing over by the wood burning stove,cooking something,one plate already full and waiting.About to say something,the scientist said,before the blacksmith could say anything,

 

“Do not say anything.”

 

Fred froze,his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

 

“It is the least I could do for the kindness you have shown me.”

 

The blacksmith sighed,walking over to the monster that shared his home and said,placing a hand on the scientists shoulder,

 

“I could do more.I hate what we humans have done to someone like ya.I want to do more,as a way to say sorry.”

 

Now it was Gaster’s turn to freeze,a sigh escaping him.

 

“There is nothing we can do now.What is done is done.”

 

He turned and,using the pan in his hands,placed his breakfast upon the second plate on the table.Facing the blacksmith,he gestured to the first plate and said,

 

“Eat.You will need the energy to forge blades.”

 

Fred smiled,moving away to sit in front of the first plate.

 

\----

 

They had eaten in silence,not saying much as the tension from the previous night was still present.After eating,Fred had put his dishes away,going right out to the forge,stopping at the doorway to tell Gaster to eat and possibly disappear upstairs,for the blacksmith would have customers coming in and out all day,and didn't want the scientist to be seen,as since last night,the scientist hadn’t felt the need to put his hood back up.

 

Gaster had taken longer to finish eating,for he still had his fears about having been found out,but he still did trust Fred.They may not know each other well,but the blacksmith was right.He did care.The scientist mostly wanted to forget what had happened two weeks ago,but it seems even the human he stayed with had demons from that night to hide from.

 

Having made his way back upstairs,the scientist heard the door downstairs open,and Fred greet someone.

 

_ ‘A customer.’ _

 

Gaster assumed,sitting at the table where his baskets of food sat,writing in a journal he had bought this morning.

 

_ ‘Fred did say people loved his work and that many may be stopping in.’ _

 

Another point to the blacksmith he guessed.It seemed that Fred had a knack for knowing his business well.Returning to his journal,the scientist thought more on ways he could possibly free the monsters underground,writing down notes and multiple ways he could possibly break the barrier or try and dig around it.

 

He thought of various ways to go around the barrier,to enter the mountain without disturbing the barrier,to possibly enter the mountain another way…..The list went on and on.Gaster was up there for hours,thinking and discarding ideas,his thoughts constantly on what he could do to help his family and friends.

 

Gaster’s frustration rose and rose with every discarded idea,the thoughts of his family growing and developing without him fueling his determination to find a way to free them.

 

\-----

 

When Fred came up the stairs to hopefully climb into bed,the blacksmith didn't expect to see Gaster asleep at the table,his head resting on his hand,a book resting in his lap,a quill and ink on the table beside a pile of crumpled paper.He had obviously been working hard,working hard enough to tire himself out at the table.The blacksmith smiled,deciding to leave the scientist be,not wanting to wake him,and climbed into bed,he himself going to sleep.

 

\---

 

When Fred awoke the next morning,it was to an alarming sight.Gaster was working,dark rings under his eye sockets as he continued to write,seeming to be writing something important,for he was writing quickly and furiously.The blacksmith sat up,he standing and stretching and saying as he walked over,

 

“Aster?Did ya sleep at all?”

 

The scientist grunted,murmuring,

 

“I can not sleep.I thought of something that could free them and I know it could work.I have to figure everything out before I sleep.”

 

Fred scowled,crossing his arms.

 

“I know it’s important to ya.But listen,ya can' work at ya best if ya are tired.”

 

He placed a hand on the scientists shoulder and finished,

 

“Ya need to sleep Aster.Ya can't work like this.”

 

Turning to face the blacksmith,Gaster murmured,

 

“I need to do this.”

 

And turned away,his eye sockets scrunched shut,the scientist trying to keep the troubling thoughts of his family and friends away.The dark haired man was about to move away,but the skeleton monster took his hand and said,looking up at him,

 

“My name is actually Gaster.I did not want you knowing,for I did not know if I could trust you.Now I know I can.”

 

Fred snorted,laughing and shaking the monster's hand.Gaster’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion,the scientist asking,

 

“What are you laughing about?”

 

The dark haired man replied,trying to keep from laughing,

 

“Not the most original nickname is it?”

 

The scientist snorted,crossing his arms.

 

“What would you have thought of if you were met with my situation?”

 

Snorting again,the blacksmith answered,grinning madly,

 

“Ya coulda found another name entirely.”

 

The skeleton monsters face blanked.He was right.He started to laugh,the two laughing for a while before they composed themselves,and Fred asked,

 

“Now will ya please get some sleep?I can see ya ate somethin’,but now ya need to get rid of them dark circles.”

 

Gaster sighed,closing his journal and standing,heading for the bed.The black smith smiled,turning to head downstairs,saying as he went,

 

“G’night Gaster.I’ll see ya when ya wake.”

 

Waving as he laid down,the scientist closed his eye sockets and drifted asleep.Downstairs,Fred was greeted by a odd sight.A few official looking men were waiting for him at the counter,they asking as soon as his foot met the floor of the first story,

 

“Hello.I am Detective Walker.Have you seen a suspicious looking figure wearing dark clothing around here by any chance?”

 

The blacksmiths eyebrows drew together,he crossing his arms and replying,

 

“No not really.Why?”

 

The same man,being Detective Walker,a tall dark haired man wearing a police hat,explained,

 

“Because a few villagers from a neighboring town said there has been a shady character around here recently,and they think he might be something to look into.They think he could be a threat or escaped prisoner,and want us to clear it up as soon as possible.”

 

The dark haired blacksmith nods and replies,

 

“I can see ya concern,but I ain’t seen anyone like that.I'm the only one around here,so maybe ya can check the next town over or the field across from here.”

 

They nod,the detective asking,

 

“Just in case,may we search your house?He may have gotten in through your forge or an unlocked window and may be on the upper floor.”

 

Fred shook his head,keeping in mind his sleeping monster friend upstairs.

 

“Nah.I woulda known if some cloaked stranger would be up in ma house.I sleep up there,so I woulda noticed if there were any suspicious shadows in ma home.I may be a bit undereducated,but I know when somethin’ isn’ right or went missin’.”

 

The detective nodded,appreciating Fred’s honesty.

 

“Alright.But if you do see something off around here or the rest of the village,please don't hesitate to call for us.There’s a office in the next town over,and the police are always on alert.”

 

Heading for the door,Walker waves and says,opening the door,

 

“Have a good day sir.I wish you well.”

 

The blacksmith waves as they leave,heaving a sigh of relief when the door closes.It was a close one,but he knew they might be back.He’d have to tell Gaster later when he woke up.

 

Cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders,Fred headed out to the forge,ready to start the day.

 

\---

 

He had many things to make today,including working more on the blade and tang of the knife for Gaster.Fred knew he had a limited time before people in the village got even warier of the stranger walking around wearing a dark cloak then they already were,but being told that the monster only could stay a week was saddening.

 

Repeatedly hitting the red-hot iron with his hammer,he remembered a few nights ago,Gaster explaining why he could only stay a week.He had told the blacksmith about his family and about how they were now stuck in the underground,while he had gone back for something and was left behind when he was attacked by a human.

 

Fred worried for his friend,and hated how he was now alone in the world above while he walked,stuck in the shadows forever,among a species he was starting to grow to hate.The blacksmith wondered what would become of his friend when he left for the remnants of his home,secluded from any social activity and alone with his thoughts.

 

It scared him what might happen to the skeleton,and he really wanted to look out for the monster at all costs,but knew he could only do so much.He had known quite a few people who had secluded themselves,like his father,with their work,and had driven themselves mad from the time spent alone,the men driven to the brink of insanity and beyond.

 

To know that Gaster was made of love,compassion and magic,having been told much about monsters from his skeletal friend,a social creature such as himself would shatter under the breaking pressure of solitude.The thought wrenched at the blacksmiths heart,the green soul housed in his breast glowing in concern,unbeknownst to the human it was housed in.

 

Fred was deeply concerned for the wellbeing of his monster friend,he thinking and plotting many ways he may stay in contact with the scientist,his thoughts drifting all over to many ways,his concern for the other man deeply ingrained into his mind.

 

Pulling away from the hot coal with the burning hot metal held in his thickly gloved hand,he quenched the blade in oil,a rare thing for a blacksmith to have,and watched the fire rocket into the sky above,barely missing his outcropped roof a measly foot and a half.The fire died down,the profile of Gaster’s blade complete and ready to finish.

 

Placing it off to the side,he gathered another blade in his glove,and started the heating process,readying another blade to be forged into a work of steely art.

 

\--

 

With a yawn,Gaster’s eye sockets blinked blearily open,the smell of something delicious flooding his senses.His soul glowed in hunger,the purple organ almost glowing through the dark fabric of his cloak,the scientist quickly covering it and looking around.

 

At the table sat Fred,the man looking over and waving,his dirty and greasy hand gesturing to the food before him and saying,as the monster sat up,

 

“About time ya woke up.I made this for the two of us,as a celebratory feast for how much we have worked.”

 

Gaster smiled,he standing and walking over to sit across from the blacksmith.Taking a big sniff of the food before him,he looked up at the dark haired man and asked,

 

“Lamb?How did you get lamb?It is hard to come by around this time of year.”

 

The blacksmith smiled,his big cheeks flushed from the obvious heat before him.

 

“I had a few favors called in and got the best cut of lamb.The last of the season too.”

 

The skeletons eyelights flicked up,the white pupil-esque orbs widening.

 

“No way.”

 

He grinned,his grin whiter than snow.

 

“Fred I can not believe you!This is amazing!!It smells wonderful too!”

 

The blacksmith grinned,the two beginning to feast upon the big meal that Fred had prepared.

 

\--

 

After they had finished,having a bit of ale to follow suit,Fred’s grin began to fade,a heavy sigh heaving from the bigger man's chest.Gaster instantly noticed,his eyebrows drawing up in concern.

 

“Fred?What is it?”

 

The blacksmiths grey-blue eyes locked onto the scientists white orbs,the man heaving another sigh before murmuring,his eyes flicking away,

 

“There were some men in the forge today.They….they were lookin’ for ya.”

 

The skeletons eye sockets widened as Fred continued,

 

“They were askin’ if I had seen anyone in dark clothes lately,for people from the village were getting worried….some people from the next town over were here too and they spread word.I’m worried about ya Gaster….I think they're lookin’ for ya.”

 

His hands balled into fists,the blacksmith looking angry as he went on,

 

“But I didn’ tell ‘em nothin’.I said I had never seen anythin’.I won't let ya get hurt.”

 

Gaster looked up,lost in his panicked thoughts,and saw the raw emotion on the face of the man before him.Fred looked up,for his head had dropped in his anger,and he stated firmly,

 

“I got a plan.”

 

\---

 

The week went by as the previous three had,the two having only one other visit from the police,Gaster having been out as Fred let the detectives tour his home.The scientist hadn’t gone far,Fred asking that he polish a few blades downstairs in the forge while the blacksmith had explained to the detectives that a apprentice was downstairs helping out,and that’s who was living with him,explaining why there was a second bed and enough food for two.They took the explanation,asking to see the ‘apprentice’,Fred explaining quickly that he was incredibly shy and had a burn on the right half of his face,it explaining the dark cloak and why he only left at night,it quickly putting the detectives suspicions to rest.They left later that evening,finally giving the two the privacy they so craved.

 

Gaster went back upstairs to brainstorm some more,Fred working through the night to finish the blade for Gaster,it just about completed by the time the scientist finally went to bed.

 

\--

 

When dawn broke upon the sunrise,Fred lifted his hands from his handiwork,he beholding an all ebon and purple colored blade,etchings and carvings all upon the blade and handle.It was a straight blade,a damascus design seen in the blades shining metal.

 

He had worked many nights to create the perfect blade for his companion,and he had finally succeeded.He knew his monster friend would love it,and he knew he would use it.Only when needed of course,but nonetheless,he knew it would be cared for by the man he shared his home with.

 

Noise upstairs alerted him of his friends awakening,he taking the blade and placing it in it’s hand carved sheath,the sheath complementing the blade nicely.Heading towards the stairs,he encountered a sleepy Gaster standing beside the table,yawning and stretching,his clothes from a week ago the only ones he wore.

 

Gaster turned at the sound of heavy footsteps,he seeing a very excited and happy Fred,dark circles under his eyes,but ecstatic and full of energy.He couldn't help the grin that made it's way to his face,he asking,

 

“Fred,why are you so happy so early in the morning?”

 

Not able to say a word due to his happiness,the blacksmith handed over the object in his hands,the scientist not having noticed it until he held it in his hands.His eye sockets widened,his name engraved on the sheath in gold lettering,a look up at the blacksmith confirming that yes,this was his blade.

 

He examined the wooden sheath,carved into a beautiful shape to accent the blades curvature and design,he unsheathing it to look at it fully,a gasp escaping him.The blade was exquisite,it pure black with silver lines,showing off it's damascus layers and color.The handle was made of pure leather and various purple materials,an amethyst the focal point of the handle,his name engraved on the handle in gold.Leather wrapped around the purple tightly,it forming beautiful patterns and designs,etchings on the blade catching his attention.

 

Written in another language,it being an ancient monster language,was the words,

 

_ ‘Gaster,secrets can be one of the best things,and you are one secret that is dear to me.You are my dearest friend and most treasured brother.’ _

 

The blade as a whole was beautiful,but the engravings made the scientist choke up,the monster brought to tears due to the sentimental value this one blade held.Gaster looked up to Fred,purple tears falling down his cheeks,and murmured,

 

“Thank you.”

 

The blacksmith smiled,knowing this was the start of something truly magical.

 

\--

 

Once they had calmed from their sentimental moment,Fred explained,after they had ate,that he had to get Gaster out of the village as soon as possible,for the police were coming back again tomorrow to do a thorough sweep of the village,including his house.He explained his plan to smuggle the monster out of town tonight,the blacksmith saying that he would buy the scientist replacement food for him to bring home,he mentioning that every week he would visit,making sure that he was taking good care of himself.

 

They both agreed,Gaster reluctant to agree,that they would pack up all of his things and get him out before midnight.

 

If Fred was honest,he was scared that something might go wrong,and Gaster would be hurt.He feared deeply for his friend,but knew deep down he would kill anyone if they tried to kill his friend.The thought scared him,but the blacksmith knew,he would.


	8. Escape And Old Routines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter now and next chapter :(

Getting out of town was the easy part,as it was easy for Fred to distract other villagers while Gaster slipped by,the two now about twenty minutes from the scientists home,the two mile walk having gone smooth and without problems,the two chatting away merrily as the damaged house came into view,they approaching rather quickly,the scientist looking up at the house,it seeming like forever since he was here,he now dreading the sight,and from now until the next time they met,being alone inside.

 

The scientist sighed as he turned away from the house to face the blacksmith,the two silently staring at each other for some time before Fred nodded,wiping a tear away to say,

 

“Well,here ya are.”

 

The scientist murmured,staring up at his damaged home,

 

“Yes.Here it is.”

 

The two were silent again,Gaster finally coughing awkwardly and saying,turning to face his friend,

 

“It was…..”

 

He fell silent,trying to find the words to say.Even though it only about a week and a half of living together,it seemed like an eternity,and that they had known each other forever.The two didn't want to say goodbye yet,as they were dreading the words and dreading the silence to come when they would part ways.

 

Gaster finally coughed again,he rubbing the back of his neck and saying,

 

“Well,it was an amazing experience,but we must part ways.”

 

He hated being the one to break the silence,especially with words the two of them dreaded.

 

“But,as you said Fred,we will see each other again next week.”

 

He finally smiled,looking over at his human friend,the two sharing a quiet and unspoken goodbye,a nod being the only sign of them truly parting ways as the blacksmith turned,walking back the direction they came from.

 

Once he couldn't hear Fred’s footsteps anymore,Gaster released a long breath,one he didn't know he had been holding,and headed inside his home,the silence greeting him seeming to be deafening since he was last in his home.

 

The house seemed…..empty.It seemed so lifeless compared to the shared life he had with Fred,his human companion.Another long sigh escaped him,his eyelights making their way towards the bright moon outside,his eyelights locking onto the luminous orb as it set lower on the horizon,he standing there to watch the sun rise slowly,the light seeming to remind him of his wife and children.

 

A deep sigh left him,his soul aching for the company of those who seemed so far,yet so close to him,Gaster’s eye sockets filling with tears,only one making it's way down his face,it glowing a bright reddish orange in the bright colors of the sunrise flooding his home with light.

 

\----

 

Getting reaquainted with his own home took a while,and after he had brought all of the baskets of food upstairs,the scientist heaving a tired sigh as he flopped backwards onto the bed.His journal lay beside him as his Gaster Blaster rested softly upon the bed,keeping the dark room illuminated until the sun was fully into the sky,the dark curtains drawn.

 

Gaster stared at the ceiling for a few minutes,he knowing that sooner or later he would have to go back downstairs and finish patching up his lab.It was about halfway done,for it had been trashed by humans the night monsters went underground.It took him weeks to rebuild the half he has now,and now he’s behind by a week and a half.

 

But he wouldn't redo that week and a half ever.

 

Rolling over,the scientist groaned into the pillow he lay upon,Gaster settling down to sleep before going back down to the lab,to fix more of what he had already built.


	9. Short Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was written so I can sum up the first story arc and get to the main arc at the same time.I hate it being so short but I can't do anything about it unless I wanna skip a bunch entirely....

He knew he should've stayed far away from humans.Gaster knew,and yet,here he was,years later,watching the burial of his now dead friend,Fred.

 

He learned his last name was Velimir,apparently it being either Scottish in origin or something the other humans mentioned,’Viking’ origin.The scientist didn't exactly know what Vikings were,but was pretty sure from Fred's many accounts of having a violent ancestry,must be what he’s descended from.

 

That didn't make the ache in his chest go away.

 

The years with Fred were fun and full of excitement,the man always trying to do something new with Gaster and introduce him to many of his children,which the scientist learned later he had a wife that divorced him and then another wife wed him.Gaster had attended that wedding.

 

Fred had about ten children in total,five from the first wife,Abigail,and five from the second,Elizabeth aka Lizzie or Liz.He met only a few,they and the second wife being perfectly fine with having a monster as their ‘uncle’.

 

The five from his second wife were named,oldest to youngest,Alaxandar,Scottie,Mary,Samuel and Samantha.Samuel and Samantha were twins,both being the youngest.When Gaster met them,Alax was ten,Scottie was six,Mary four,Sammy and Sam both being about two.

 

Now,some odd ten to twelve years later,they were older,Alax being twenty-two,Scottie being about sixteen to eighteen,Mary being fourteen to sixteen,and the twins about twelve to fourteen.

 

His head was full of the years he spent with Fred and his family,and yet,watching the service break up and disperse,only then,when everyone else left,did the widow approach,the five children of this wife now much older than the first time they met.

 

The slightly grey haired woman looked up at the monster,she saying softly,

 

“Gaster.It’s nice to see ya outside of that lab.How’ve ya been?”

 

The scientist’s eye lights flickered away from her face,his poker face dropping into one of sadness.

 

“I was,ah,doing well.That is until…..”

 

Liz placed a hand onto the monster’s arm,her green eyes looking down at the ground.

 

“I know it's hard.But,he wouldn't want us to stay unhappy.”

 

He smiled softly,it not reaching his eye lights.

 

“I know.He always had to be sure I was taking care of myself.”

 

The children came around from behind their mother to hug their uncle,godfather to two of the children,being the twins.

 

Gaster hugged them back,his eye sockets brimming with softly glowing magic tears.He looked down at the newest child,being only a few months old,named Cheren,and whispered,bending down,tears falling down his cheeks,

 

“Your father was a great man.He had a warm heart,a welcoming smile,and the talent to craft metal that rivaled no other.”

 

He stood back up,wiped the tears away and smiled towards the sky,he saying softly,

 

“I will miss you,old friend.”

 

A tap on his arm caused him to look down,Liz holding a bundle in her hand.The scientists eyebrows furrowed,the dark haired woman handing it to him and saying as he took it,

 

“He finished that the night before he died.He wanted you to have it.He said it was the final piece to your collection.”

 

Gaster’s eye lights widened,the white orbs locking onto the wrapped weapon.Looking back up at her,he was about to speak before she said,

 

“Don’t open it now.He had specific instructions for you not to until you got home.”

 

The skeleton held the wrapped blade tight,his eye lights locking onto her green eyes as he nodded.

 

\--

 

He consoled the family until it began to rain,the scientist walking away quickly from the sight of the burial,but not before leaving a bouquet of lilacs,imported for him weeks ago but didn't have the chance to give them to him,and left them upon the upturned soil.

 

He teleported home,a new magical quality of his he discovered,and quickly headed upstairs to his bedroom,he throwing his jacket off to inspect the package.

 

It was wrapped in brown paper,a string wrapped around it to hold the paper onto it.Underneath the bow of the string,was a white letter,written in Fred’s hand,addressed to himself.Confused,He pulled the string enough to loosen the letter,he placing the parcel down to hold the letter,the sight of the black ink written in his friend's handwriting giving him a warmth in his soul.

 

A fond smile found it's way to his face,he opening the letter carefully,to not rip it,and read the letter,

 

_ ‘Gaster, _

 

_ I haven’t had the best of luck lately,I tried to come see ya last week,but the rain flooded the road so I couldn' take my carriage.I was gonna come this week but business was booming and I had so many opportunities to make blades for important people,including a Lord in England!So,anyway,I’m sorry for not makin’ it,but I thought ya might appreciate this letter instead.Gettin’ sentimental here,I’m so happy to have met ya all those years ago.I will never regret helpin’ ya with those police an’ all those times I kept bringin’ ya food when ya said ya was out.I don’ ever mind helpin’ ya,for ya are a brother to me.Even more so now than then.I thank ya for savin’ Mary’s life when she choked on some carrot when she was young,and when ya helped rock all my kids to sleep.Mainly I’m tryin’ to say,I love ya like family,an I hope ya can see that.I will always care about ya,no matter how stubborn ya are about ya lab an’ workin’.I hope we can meet next week,for I got somethin’ awesome planned for us and the kids! _

 

_                                                                                                    -Fred _

 

By the time he finished reading the letter,tears had flooded his vision,making it impossible to make out anything in his surroundings besides his shaking hands and the blurred words upon the page in his hands.

 

Fred had been looking forward to seeing him next week,but…..but….

 

Gaster’s legs gave out from under him,his knees hitting the floor with a slight thunk.His hands dropped the letter,the skeletons hands coming up to wipe at his eye sockets messily,the scientist balling his eyes out and sobbing loudly,the doubt from first hearing that his best friend,Fred,had died,finally melted away,leaving nothing more than the hard truth.

 

Fred was gone.

 

The scientist sobbed and sobbed,a Gaster Blaster,out of concern,appeared before it’s master,the sentient blaster nudging it’s master as he balled and cried,the nudges eventually causing Gaster to hug the snout of his weapon,crying and holding the blaster in despair.

 

The blaster snorted softly,purring reassuringly and nudging it’s master as he cried,the one and only human he trusted and cared for now gone,never to return.

 

\----

 

The years passed quickly after Fred’s death,and soon he had seen Fred’s wife and children die,the scientist practically emotionless as the ceremonies were held.He would appear at the burial of each child,console and comfort the others,then leave to his home to endlessly work on saving the monsters once again.As the deaths kept coming,he eventually was at the final one,the wife of that son the final person he’d have to console.After that he’d leave to once again hole himself up in his lab,seeming to be so close yet so far from the answer to free them.

 

As the years passed after his friends had died,he watched from his humble home,having slowly rebuilt it,as humanity grew and developed,the thoughts of magic and the monsters seeming to disappear into a fairytale as the generations grew and developed,Gaster watching as cities were built,skyscrapers towering over the landscape,and yet,after all the modernization happened,few ever came near the mountain,where the ruins of his village had vanished into rubble over the years.

 

In the big world that had changed so much around him,Gaster felt alone.His years of solitude having an emotional toll on him,the man seeming to be a shell of his former self and former youthfulness.

 

Being five hundred and fifty-six was young for his kind,as most skeletons lived for a few millennia or two.He wasn't even a quarter of the way done with his life,barely a sixteenth of it actually.The thought made him feel empty,and,for the first time,genuinely alone.


	10. Daily Routine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have fun :D I refuse to spoil :D
> 
> Don't spoil for anyone you tell about it :D
> 
> Read away! :D

 

Gaster had recently started to go into the nearby city,where Fred’s village used to be,to get his food and supplies.He had recently gotten a new wardrobe,a few electronic items such as a fridge,a stove,an oven and a few other things he found interesting,and when explained in the manual on what they did,they sparked at his scientific core,which had mostly lay dormant as he worked endlessly on the same machines and technology of when the monsters were first sealed.

 

He had also acquired a device called a ‘phone’,another called a ‘laptop’ and one other called an ‘tablet’.He found out from the helpful humans at the store what he could do with them,and with that they explained the internet.

 

He learned that everything he would ever need to search for was on the internet,and he could buy items online.Gaster learned that,through trial and error,that there was science everywhere on the internet,completely breaking loose his inner scientist.

 

The day he bought them he asked many questions about what other scientific things he could figure out,it also sparking new ideas about how he could free the monsters.Sadly the humans there only knew so much,and told him there was a university in the city he could visit,along with many ‘museums’ that would appeal to him.

 

He thanked them and returned home,the entire week now being planned out in his mind.

 

\----

 

_ ‘Oh my….’ _

 

That was his first thought when he entered the museum,scientific achievements of humans shining all around him,old and new,such as the newest space shuttle model,and primitive tools that Gaster recognized as the tools of a blacksmith.

 

A dull ache in his soul was his response to that thought,his hand automatically reaching up to clutch his chest gently,he checking his stats.

 

**Name - Wing Dings Gaster**

**LV:1**

**HP - 1000/1000**

**ATK - 9**

**DEF - 8**

 

***He’s eager to see the scientific opportunities here.**

 

Smiling softly at the text,he made sure his hood was drawn and strode further into the museum,looking strictly for the information desk.

 

His eyelights darted all over the room,seeming to be mostly of space travel,dinosaurs and primitive humans and their tools.It was quite interesting,but not what he was looking for.

 

Looking around as he went,he looked to the ceiling,surprisingly tall,just like how big the museum was for such a small city.He found a sign that said ‘information’ and headed straight for it,seeing a smiling human woman standing there waving at anyone that walked by.He sighed in relief,adjusting his hood,being sure his face was covered,and strode up to the desk,saying softly in English,

 

“H-hello….”

 

The brunette woman smiled politely when she faced him and asked,

 

“How can I help you today sir?”

 

He blushed softly at her soft and gentle tone,being new to interacting with humans so close after so long,he replying,

 

“I,ah,I am looking for the science portion of the museum…..can you direct me to it?”

 

She smiled and bent over the counter to point to the left of where the desk was and said,

 

“It’s actually right over in that direction there.It starts right after the dinosaur exhibit.”

 

He nodded and blushed a bit darker in embarrassment -how did he not see it was right there!- and murmured,pulling his hood lower,

 

“Ah,t-thank you madam.I will be going now….”

 

She waved goodbye as he went,the flustered scientist heading off into the direction she had pointed him in.

 

He mentally chanted to himself about how oblivious he was to the science wing,walking around and through the crowds of humans inside the museum.

 

It had taken him a while to learn English,as he had mostly spoken wingdings through all the years he was alone in his home.He hadn’t really needed to speak English,so he hadn’t.But now being in the century he was in,he had learned English to speak better with humans.It was easier than trying to sign to them or write,which came out in wingdings.

 

Seeing the science wing before him,he had only glanced at the dinosaur exhibit and kept walking,he picked up his pace,walking faster to get to his desired destination.Upon entering the science wing and looking around,the scientist gasped,his glove covered hands coming up to cover his hooded mouth.

 

There were spaceships and gigantic models of the solar system above him,massive pieces of technology in separate halls leading deeper into the wing.Gaster was completely speechless and utterly stunned by the sheer amount of science contained in this one wing of the building,the scientist ready to explore like a kid in a candy store.

 

Giddy and practically bubbling with energy,the skeleton monster strode towards the space section of the wing,excited laughter bubbling up in his chest cavity,the skeleton about ready to let it out.

 

Suddenly his euphoric giddiness was shattered as he bumped into someone,he and that person colliding violently,papers flying everywhere as they both hit the ground.Cursing in wingdings,the mumble slightly warbled and making slight static sounds,he reached over,keeping his face tilted down,and said,

 

“I am so sorry…..I did not mean to bump into you!”

 

The person laughed,the tone of voice suggesting a female,she saying,

 

“Oh it’s no trouble.I love science more than anyone would think.Space is my absolute passion though.”

 

He glanced up,having picked up the papers within his reach,seeing a redheaded woman,about 22 or so,brown eyes and sun darkened skin.She smiled at him,her dimples making her radiant smile seem brighter,she saying,

 

“Thanks for the help.”

 

Standing,she said,extending her hand,

 

“I’m Claire.Claire Montoya.”

 

He smiled sheepishly,his social anxiety gripping him for a moment before he adjusted the papers in his grasp neatly and took her hand in his gloved one,smiling and saying softly,

 

“Gaster.”

 

Claire’s face wrinkled,a odd look on her face,his smile becoming strained at the look.

 

“Gaster?That’s a name I haven’t heard before.”

 

He laughed forcibly,rubbing his arm to help ease the anxiety plaguing him.

 

“It is short for W.D Gaster.It is quite the odd name I know,but I am not exactly ‘normal’ per say.”

 

The redhead laughed,she taking the papers from him when he offered them to her,replying,

 

“No,no,it’s not a bad name!It’s something new and exciting.I’ve never heard such a name and I like odd things.Your name is cool.”

 

He blushed shyly,rubbing his arm again.

 

“You,you do not think it is strange?”

 

Claire snorted and laughed out,

 

“No!I love it!It’s a new change from the normal names like Justin or Todd or Tim!”

 

She smiled and continued,

 

“I think it’s interesting to be named after a font.”

 

His soul skipped a beat,the scientist paling at the statement.He took a minute to compose himself,he stuttering out,

 

“A-ah…..w-what?”

 

Claire paused,confusion and then horror written across her face.

 

“Oh I’m sorry!I thought your name was an abbreviation of the font wingdings!!”

 

The red head took his hand and said,

 

“Shoot,I’m so sorry for assuming something like that-”

 

“It is ok.”

 

He interrupted.She looked puzzled,the woman stating,

 

“But I basically insulted you!I assumed something that probably wasn't true!”

 

Gaster smiled softly at her,and replied,

 

“It is quite alright.My name actually is an abbreviation of the font.”

 

Her eyes practically sparkled,her horror from before vanishing.

 

“That’s so cool!!I wish I was named like that!!”

 

The scientist smiled,he changing topic,

 

“So you said you are quite fond of science?”

 

“Oh I LOVE science!”

 

The red head burst out,the scientist having to take a minute to regain his thoughts at the boisterous woman before him,she having turned to face the rest of the science wing.

 

“I absolutely adore space!!!”

 

Claire turned back to look at the skeleton behind her,she drawling out,

 

“Say,I know why I’m in the museum,but why are you here?”

 

Gaster looked away,a slight pang in his chest reminding him of one of the many reasons he was here besides his curiosity.He was here for his kind.Here for Asgore and his people.He was here for Cee and his son.Here to free them all.

 

He stayed quiet for a while,zoning out some while the pang in his chest turned into a dull ache,it seeming to spread to numb his chest and soul slightly,his stats popping up for only him to see.

 

**Name - Wing Dings Gaster**

**LV:1**

**HP - 1000/1000**

**ATK - 9**

**DEF - 8**

 

***His chest hurts.**

 

***He misses his loved ones.**

 

***He wants to go home.**

 

Home.That sounds nice.He’d see Cee and Sans…..maybe even his second child would be born already,and he could help name the baby....

 

He smiled.

 

Home......

 

“GASTER!”

 

His head snapped up,the scientist unaware of the purple staining his face as he looked up into the concerned face of Claire,the woman having taken ahold of his shoulders,her grip tight as her eyes flicked all over his face,looking to see if he was mentally there again.Seeing that he was,she smiled and murmured,

 

“You ok there?You zoned out on me.”

 

Gaster nodded,he wiping his eyes as she moved back to say,

 

“I am,ah,I am sorry for that......you were saying?”

 

Her smile was sympathetic,she repeating,

 

“I asked why you were here in the museum.I’m here for my nerdiness of space and was writing notes on the solar system and on the new discoveries about Mars.”

 

He smiled,the scientist saying,

 

“I am here to take a look at the technology side of things.I agree space is an interesting topic of study,I am more of a technology person myself.I am trying to study it more along with engineering and biology.”

 

She nodded,humming softly.

 

“I can see why.Technology and biology are vast areas of scientific study.I just prefer stars and planets to that sort of thing.”

 

Nudging his shoulder softly,she says,

 

“There’s this coffee place next door to here.How about later,we meet for coffee?”

 

He smiles,Gaster saying softly,

 

“Sure.I will see you then.”

 

Claire smiles,patting him on the shoulder and saying,

 

“Well Gaster,I’ll see you then.”

 

“Goodbye Claire.”

 

Was his response as he turned to continue into the science wing,but was stopped by a hand on his arm.Looking back,he saw it was Claire,a quizzical look on his face before she said,

 

“Please take care of yourself.You seem really shaken from what happened a minute ago.”

 

The concern on her face was thick,the scientist taken aback by this stranger being as kind as she was to him.Her eyes locked onto his face,she continuing,

 

“I know you think you’re fine,but please......Take care ok?”

 

The scientist smiled warmly,a gloved hand covering the one on his arm.

 

“I will Claire.Take care ok?”

 

She nods,skeptical of his words,but not calling him out on it.She removed her hand and walked away,the sound of her retreating footsteps the only thing indicating she was gone.

 

Gaster sighed,his soul beats slowing more than normal as an indication that he was hungry,the scientist mentally planning to come back here later today.He had to know what kind of technology he could be using to free the monsters besides his outdated technology in his lab back home.He needed to see what this museum had to show him.

 

But first,time to eat.

 

\----

 

Returning home after a long day at the museum,one of many he had taken this week,he had learned a lot about space shuttles and the many technologies humans had used in the time he had secluded himself in his lab,the technology not easily acquired,mostly because of money not by status.

 

He and Claire had met up many times this week to learn more at the museum,the two meeting at the coffee shop they had coffee at the first time they met.They talked a lot about science,he even helping her with some scientific and mathematical equations.

 

Sighing as he leaned against the shut door,the scientist walked over towards the stairs,the skeleton tired after a long day of research and development,he full from his dinner at a restaurant he and Claire went to,having seen her later at the mall as he looked for some new shoes,his current ones were worn and corroded from long years of use.

 

If he was honest,the one reason he needed new ones was because he spilled some acid on them and they ate at the material of the shoe before he could stop too much damage from happening.......it was tiresome to find a new pair when he knew nothing of what brand would be durable.

 

He and Claire had talked endlessly about many things,she asking about his family and if he had anyone special once they found out more about each other.He had grown silent,not speaking of the family he had lost to the barrier.She had changed the subject,the two then had headed to dinner,they sharing phone numbers and addresses,she insisting to see him home just to make sure he was safe,and to find his house again.

 

They spoke of what they were interested in,about what they did and many other things.He spoke of wanting to find a job in the city in the field of science,and she mentioned a university housed above the museum.She spoke of bringing him tomorrow,sometime before five in the evening.He had accepted.

 

Stepping lethargically into his bedroom,now modernized from his renovations,he slipped his shoes off and threw his hoodie to the floor,Gaster sliding into bed and groaning as the soft material surrounded him and his aching bones.

 

With a sigh he settled into a more comfortable position and popped a few of his stiff bones,a sigh of content leaving his throat.A click of a light switch and the room was plummeted into darkness,a brief flash of purple signaling the evaporation of a magical hand,Gaster closing his eye sockets to plunge into sleep.

 

-

 

_ There was darkness all around him,the swirling coldness seeping into his bones,it seeping deep within him.He shivered,rubbing his arms to get some of the warmth back into them,his lack of skin normally keeping him warm in the cold.His breath was visible,small puffs of white the only thing visible in this expansive darkness,which was acting like a solid,sucking in every ounce of light that entered,none escaping the vast sea of blackness that surrounded him.The eerie quiet and dark was making him anxious,making him very uncomfortable. _

 

_ Noises in the darkness made the scientist whirl around,his breath speeding up,whispers and hushed muttering echoing all around him,unsettling him more than the quiet did.His anxiety about the situation rose and rose with every whisper and mutter,having him whirling in the direction he heard the voices from,his breathing picking up the more he spun around. _

 

_ The voices became too overwhelming,Gaster finally crouching down and covering his ‘ears’ mumbling and groaning at the voices to stop,they were like a constant buzzing,yet much creepier.They only got louder and louder,the scientist pleading and begging with the voices to stop and quiet,his anxiety skyrocketing to border on an anxiety attack. _

 

_ Finally,finally,the scientist had enough,he standing swiftly to shout, _

 

_ “ENOUGH!!” _

 

_ The voices were silenced,the scientist panting,raising his hands to rub at his eye sockets,the stress of the situation getting to him.He kept his eye sockets covered for a while,small slivers of purple magic falling from his sockets until giggles split the silence,the skeleton looking up,a whisper of a word coming from his mouth,he wiping gently at the tears falling down his skull. _

 

_ “Sans?” _

 

_ The giggles continued,Gaster looking off into the darkness where he heard the voices,he seeing a glimpse of blue and orange,the scientist taking a few steps in the direction he saw the figures go in,calling softly, _

 

_ “Sans?Is that you?” _

 

_ Craning his head to the side in inquiry,he called again, _

 

_ “Are you there Sans?” _

 

_ Continuing to walk forward,he walked into something akin to a wall,solid,but just as black as the rest of the emptiness around him.Gaster used his hands to help lead him forward,the voices turning into sobbing the closer he got,going around corners and through long halls. _

 

_ When he entered another hall,he heard the sobs close by,the scientist picking up his pace,he turning into a ‘room’ to his right,the figure of his son sitting hunched over in the middle of the room. _

 

_ The skeleton was obviously much older than he was when the monster last saw his child,dressed in a light blue coat with a white furred hood,black shorts with a blue stripe down the side,a lighter blue t-shirt,and blue sneakers. _

 

_ The taller skeleton neared the hunched figure,who held a light blue scarf,the smaller skeleton crying into the material as he held it.Within arms reach of the crying monster,Gaster reached out,he saying softly as his hand was about to touch the blue cald skeleton, _

 

_ “Sans?” _

 

_ The other skeleton turned to face the older monster,the scientist pulling back in shock,the sockets of the hunched monster completely black and empty,a ghastly and horrifying stripe of red slashed across the blue t-shirt he wore,red blood dripping from the skeletons visible ribs. _

 

_ Gaster’s hand shook,his eyes tearing up with purple again.This was definitely Sans.The face was unmistakable,the shape the same as his son’s,the grin the exact same too.The size of the skeletons bones were the same,bigger obviously with this skeletons older age. _

 

_ He felt the ‘eyes’ of the shorter skeleton on him,he looking directly into the others sockets,and the instant he did,a blood,if he had any,curdling screech flew from the younger skeletons mouth,’Sans’ flying up and rushing at him,everything going black as the skeleton grabbed him,a startled scream leaving the scientist. _

 

**_[*YOU DIRTY BROTHER KILLER.]_ **

 

-

  
A startled scream left Gaster as he bolted upwards in bed,Gaster blasters appearing at his sides,his eye sockets filled with purple tears,bright purple magic flowing like thick smoke from his sockets,bones protruding from the floor to surround the bed,bone projectiles floating beside him,aimed at the ready to attack.

 

His breath coming in labored gasps,the frightened scientist looked around at his surroundings,and,seeing he was at home on the surface,it settled his nerves,he waving away all the bones,the semi sentient blasters giving the scientist a quizzical look,he nodding at them that yes,they could stay.

 

The blasters huffed quietly,closing their mouths to extinguish the magic gathering,and rested upon the end of the bed,the scientist gasping softly as he tried to regulate his breathing.He looked out to the window,and seeing the blinds drawn,he turned to the right to look at his clock,the time reading four thirty in the morning.

 

Groaning softly,Gaster rubbed at his sockets,his hands dragging down his face as he flopped back onto the bed,trying to relax his racing soul beats.A blaster whined softly,the skeleton monster glancing to the right and seeing one of the giant skulls floating next to the nightstand,it's brow bone drawn in concern.

 

He sighed,curling his fingers at the skull,the giant blaster letting out a soft keen as it moved to rest next to his hand,the scientist’s hand moving up to scratch the underside of the bony jaw of the blaster.It purred softly,the scientist smiling gently as he watched the blaster enjoy it's scratches.

 

Gaster normally didn't enjoy his blasters being sentient,as they bothered him quite often about his lack of sleep or lack of breaks from his work.Times like these,he much enjoyed their company,they much like cats or dogs in their mannerisms.

 

The scientist felt his eye sockets drooping shut,the gentle purring from the blaster and the familiar humming of his magic moving from his soul throughout his body lulling him into a dreamless sleep.

 

\---

 

Growling was what woke him the second time,Gaster opening his eye sockets to find his blinds were open,the bright sunlight blinding him until his eye lights adjusted.He turned his skull in the direction of the growling,seeing his blasters ready to begin an attack,one next to the bed,and one somewhere in the hallway by the sound of it.

 

Sitting up,he heard the sound of speaking,the skeleton hearing more growling as the speaking continued,his browbone drawing up in question.

 

He stood swiftly,grabbing a nearby hoodie-when did he take that off?-and heading towards the door to his bedroom,pulling the hood up as he heard his second blaster trailing after him silently.He entered the hall to find his second blaster staring intently down into the rest of the house,he carefully using his magic to scan for a soul inside his home.

 

With a small gasp,he discovered there was a green human soul within his home,where his second blaster was looking.Walking up to the railing that overlooked his living room,he craned his neck in the direction of his blasters line of sight,finding a scared Claire,her terrified eyes locked onto the blaster before her.

 

_ ‘Damn!” _

 

He thought,he had forgotten she was to come by,to take him to the university,but he hadn’t expected her to come into his home like she obviously had.He shooed the blaster away,it giving a questioning glance at him,before huffing and disappearing,the other staying up on the landing and out of sight as the scientist went down the stairs,he making sure his face was hidden before entering the kitchen.

 

“D-did you see that??”

 

She questioned,looking back and forth from where the blaster was to his face.He swallowed,not that he needed to,and murmured,

 

“Yes.”

 

Her eyes bulged out of her head,a grin forming a minute later,

 

“That was amazing!What do you think that was?Paranormal?A scientific mystery?The dead coming back to life?”

 

He internally sighed,he smiling a second later and saying,

 

“I do not know.But it does seem like a mystery.”

 

The brown eyed woman laughed,shaking her head.

 

“I have no idea but I’d like to find out!The skull of whatever animal that was,it was massive!!”

 

He paled,forcing a chuckle and rubbing the back of his neck.

 

“It sure was.”

 

Changing the subject,he inquired,

 

“So Claire,how did you get in my home?”

 

The redhead giggled.

 

“Your door was unlocked silly!You have to lock your door!I know no one but you lives out here,but you should still lock it.”

 

He blushed a slight purple,ducking his head.

 

“I,ah,must have forgot in my lethargic state of mind last night......”

 

Claire frowned,crossing her arms.

 

“I thought we discussed you not sleeping enough.”

 

He retaliated,

 

“I was not working last night!I was just up late!”

 

She raised a reddened eyebrow.

 

“Uh-huh.Suuuure you weren’t.”

  
Gaster groaned,slumping his shoulders.

 

“Fine.I worked a little bit.”

 

The redhead’s eyebrow lifted higher.

 

“It is important!!”

 

The purple faced scientist shouted,his flustered state making Claire laugh.

 

“Ok,ok Mr.Defensive.I believe you.”

 

Narrowing her eyes,she saw dark circles under his eye sockets,the sight making her uneasy.Pointing them out,she asked,

 

“Did you sleep ok last night?You have dark circles under your eyes......”

 

Gaster swallowed again,he instinctively drawing into himself as he murmured,

 

“That.....that can be explained.”

 

She rested back against the black countertop of the scientist’s kitchen,Claire waiting for the explanation.He frowned,implying,

 

“I am guessing you want an explanation.”

 

A curt nod was his response,he letting out a long sigh.

 

“Alright….I had trouble sleeping.”

 

“Describe trouble.”

 

The redhead asked,her frown prominent on her face.Gaster twirled his thumbs in his hoodie pockets,he sighing and saying,his face turning to the floor,

 

“I......I had a nightmare.”

 

Glancing a look up at Claire,he saw she looked worried,she asking,

 

“That bad?”

 

He nodded,shoulders slumping again.

 

“It was.....very personal.”

 

She nodded,the red head murmuring,

 

“Want to talk about it?I’ll listen.”

 

The scientist sighed,motioning with his hand to take their conversation to the living room.The brown eyed woman followed silently,he sitting in his favorite chair while she sat on the sofa next to the black leather chair.He hunched over in the chair,his fingers laced together,his face barely visible in the darkness of his hood.He sighed,beginning,

 

“It was.....It had to do with my son.”

 

Claire gasped softly,he looking up to see she was surprised.

 

“You have a son?”

 

She asked,her face reading sad and quizzical.Gaster nodded,sighing softly and saying,

 

“Two.A wife too.”

 

He smiled.

 

“They are the light of my life.My older son had turned three,my wife pregnant with our second.We did not know if our second was a boy or a girl,but about the same day he turned three,we found out our second child was a boy.”

 

Claire was silent,he knowing this was a lot for her to take in.Chancing a glance,he saw she was grinning,she saking softly,

 

“What was your older son’s name?”

 

Gaster sighed softly,a purple tear falling softly down his skull.

 

“Sans.He was a rambunctious thing,always causing trouble.”

 

He laughed softly,wiping a tear away.

 

“He always got into things he should not have,or was running around everywhere,knocking things over or sleeping in the oddest of places.”

 

Claire had a fond smile on her face,she asking softly,

 

“And your wife?”

 

The scientist laughed sadly,wiping another tear from his skull.

 

“Her name was Cee.She was a dream to have around.She was sweet,kind,smart,funny.....She knew her way around plenty of scientific fields,her degrees in engineering,astrology,robotics and biology.She was not afraid to speak her mind or to prove your ideas wrong with pure fact.She was a strong woman.”

 

Gaster chuckled softly.

 

“Stars I miss her….”

 

Arms wrapping around him startled him,he looking up to see Claire had hugged him,she rubbing his head and murmuring,

 

“It’s ok to cry.Don't think it isn't.”

 

The skeletons breath hitched,his arms coming up to grip her jacket as purple tears flooded his sockets,small sobs leaving the scientist’s mouth,his sobbing becoming louder the more he cried.The dam was open,and there was no stopping the flood of emotions that he had held inside over the years,from the loss of his kind underground to Fred’s death all the way to the guilt and depression that plagued him when he saw his family photo that had landed him stuck here on the surface in the first place.

 

When the sobs finally died down,and his trembling stopped,the two pulled away,Gaster murmuring softly as he wiped the last remnants of tears away,

 

“Thank you Claire.It....It is nice to finally let this out.”

 

The redhead smiled,she murmuring softly,

 

“It’s ok.You needed this.”

 

He sighed.

 

“We should get going to the university....”

 

He went to stand,about halfway up,but a hand on his jacket stopped him.Looking over to the brown eyed woman,he saw she was shaking her head.The scientist sat down again,Claire murmuring,

 

“Why don't we just take a personal day?Talk about things?”

 

A fond smile crossed his features,the scientist replying,

 

“Sure.”

 

The redhead asked softly,

 

“Where are they now?Your family?”

 

His smile dropped,his sockets darkening.A minute of silence stretched between the two before Gaster finally said,his voice devoid of emotion,

 

“They are not here.”

 

Claire shivered at the cold tone,but joked softly,

 

“Well obviously,but,where’d they go?”

 

A dark chuckle left his mouth,the scientist snapping curtly,

 

“Gone.That is all there is to it.”

 

He stood swiftly,going into the kitchen to lean heavily on the counter and rock on his hands,he trying to keep his whirlwind of emotions from going out of control.Claire followed him,she saying hotly,

 

“That was rude.I shouldn’t have joked but you’re not being specific Gaster.”

 

A sigh came from her mouth,her eyebrows drawing up in concern.

 

“I don’t want you to hold this all in.I know you have trouble talking about this,but please,work with me.I’m trying to help you.”

 

A dark chuckle was her response,the hunched form of the scientist turning his face swiftly to her,she startled slightly by the dark aura coming from him,his angry yet hurt voice saying,

 

“They were taken from me.”

 

He turned his body back around,his form shuddering as he spoke,slamming his fist down onto the counter.

 

“Animals!”

 

A shuddering breath was drawn into his nonexistent throat,Gaster continuing,

 

“They stole them from me!My friends,my family,slayed like animals or stolen from me!”

 

His hunched over form shook and trembled with his emotions,Claire keeping her distance,but stayed close.

 

“Who?Who hurt them?Who took them?”

 

She asked carefully,knowing the man before her was emotionally unstable.The scientists from whipped back around,fast enough his hood fell down,his porcelain white skull in full view,many black cracks and all,his purple eye lights blaring with magic,his anger hitting extremes as he screamed,

 

“HUMANS!!!”


	11. Things Get Complicated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No spoils :D

_“HUMANS!!”_

 ---

Gaster’s fists shaking and glowing brightly with magic as they rested by his sides,his rage storming wildly through his magic.

 

Claire was taken aback,the man she saw before her wasn’t even human,but some sort of skeleton,who was clearly enraged and deeply upset.This was her friend who was so kind and gentle?This is what hid behind the hood and gloves?But it didn’t matter what he looked like,this man was her friend,in pain and needed her help.She raised her hands,in a sign of peace,and murmured,

 

“I didn’t know that.But listen,”

 

She flipped her hands to show that she was unarmed,carefully edging closer to the trembling figure,the redhead continuing softly,

 

“You need to calm down Gaster.Anger and hate won't fix what happened.It won't bring them back.”

 

The scientists eye sockets filled with tears,his hands shaking as he stared at the human before him,he loudly stating,

 

“We did not do anything!!Those-”

 

His hands clenched,his body shaking with his raging emotions.

 

“-ANIMALS,attacked a childhood friend of mine!He was not doing any wrong!They slaughtered him and drove us all to war!!”

 

He gestured wildly with his hands,his purple tears staining his face and flowing faster as he wove his tale.

 

“So many innocent monsters were slaughtered!We were running away and they mercilessly came after us,dusting thousands of monsters!!!They sealed my entire kind in an underground prison!!!”

 

Gaster sobbed,the heels of his hands coming up and digging into his eye sockets,he sniffling and continuing after he moved them,

 

“And I stupidly left her to get some damned picture!!!I stupidly ran back here to grab a picture we could have easily retaken!!”

 

He looked down at the floor,the scientist whispering,

 

“And......I will never see Sans grow up,never see my second son born.....”

 

A airy chuckle left Gaster’s mouth,his right hand coming up to rub at his socket.

 

“I....I will never see his first steps,first words,first birthday......”

 

The scientist sank to his knees,his magic dissipating as he finished,

 

“I will never see my boys grow up.I......”

 

He blinked up the ceiling,he then looking down at his hands.

 

“I will never be able to hold my wife again.I will never kiss her,see her smile and laugh….”

 

Gaster sobbed,hunching over and rubbing his eye sockets furiously,tears pouring endlessly down his face.

 

“I want my family........”

 

He whispered,his body trembling and shaking with every breath,every sob.Claire slowly approached the trembling form of her friend,she kneeling down beside him to hug him and rub his back once she got close enough.

 

She shushed him and whispered soothing words to him,the sobbing monster a complete mess before the human,he whispering and mumbling words of apology to his family,his friends,his kind,and with every sputtered word,she shushed him louder,rubbing his arms too.It took some time before Gaster’s crying faded,and once it did,he rubbed his sockets and murmured,

 

“You probably think I am pathetic.....”

 

The redhead shook her head.

 

“Absolutely not!”

 

Her hand found it's way under his chin,lifting his face up to look at her.

 

“I think you’re pretty damn amazing to have kept that all to yourself.”

 

He snorted,wiping a few tears away,looking down again.

 

“Far from it.I am a wreck.”

 

She laughed wholeheartedly.

 

“Definitely.But hey,nobody's perfect right?”

 

The scientist nodded,his eye lights brightening slightly.

 

“No one is.”

 

He repeated,looking up at her.

 

_‘I wonder what she’d think if she knew what you were.’_

 

His darker thoughts decided to chime in,making his smile drop,his face turning away from her.The distinct feeling of a pit forming in his nonexistent stomach made his brow bone scrunch up,the thoughts continuing,

 

_‘What would she think if she knew you were one of those hideous and disgusting monsters from their legends.....She wouldn’t be so kind then would she?’_

 

Gaster’s nonexistent throat tightened,a strained noise coming from it.Claire’s eyebrows drew together at her friends new actions,it looking like something else was plaguing his thoughts.Her hand came up to rest on his shoulder,she asking softly,

 

“Gaster?”

 

He shook his head,he scooting himself away from her,he curling up in a corner of the kitchen,his tears starting fresh.

 

_‘She probably thinks you're pathetic,crying so much.You did it when you met her right?’_

 

A choked sob left the skeleton’s hoarse ‘throat’,he curling his legs up to his chest and hugging them,his forehead resting upon his knees.The voice just continued.

 

_‘Such a pathetic creature,maybe you should just stay in this old house,living with old memories of old times.Suits you.Wallowing in self pity and hatred....suits you well.’_

 

A hand on his shoulder startled him out of his depressed stupor,the intensity in which looked back at him from Claire’s brown eyes stunned him.She shook his shoulder,she stating,

 

“Gaster listen.I refuse to watch you sit here and cry.”

 

Her gaze softened,she sitting beside him to say,

 

“You’re my friend.I don't want to see you suffer.I care about you ok?”

 

He nods,sniffling and wiping his tears away.She sat beside him again and asked,

 

“Will you tell me what’s bothering you?Aside from everything you stated....”

 

His eye lights flicked up to her quickly,he stuttering,

 

“W-what?”

 

Claire looked confused,but replied,

 

“You said something about humans taking your family and ‘kind’ from you.It fits with,well.....”

 

Her hand came up to knock her knuckles gently on his forehead,a bony knock coming from the bone on bone contact.

 

“.....this.”

 

She finished.He gasped,eye lights shrinking and reaching up to feel his head,he indeed finding his hood wasn’t up.His eyelights met her brown eyes,his shaking renewed.The redheads eyebrows drew together in concern,she saying softly,

 

“Hey,I heard of what humans had done to you before.But you know I won't hurt you.”

 

Her hand rested gently onto his,resting on his arm,and she finished,

 

“I care about you remember?”

 

He nodded again,he taking his hand out from under hers,resting it upon her hand.

 

“N-no more hurt.”

 

He stuttered,smiling shakily.The brown eyed woman smiled,placing her other hand over the scientist’s.

 

“No more hurt.”

 

She repeated.After a few minutes of silence,she stood up,lowering her hand towards the newly calmed scientist,Gaster taking her hand and standing beside her.She lead him to the living room,Claire having him sit on the sofa before she sat next to him.She turned to him and asked,

 

“So,what are you?”

 

The scientist sighed,lowering his head.

 

“I am what humans call a ‘monster’.”

 

He looked back up at her,the look on her face begging him to explain further.A sigh left his mouth,he going on to continue,

 

“Monsters come in various shapes and sizes,such as skeleton monsters,goat monsters and fish monsters.It is essential that we eat,as every monster has a soul.Our souls are the core of our being.It is also where we get our magic from.Skeletons like myself are a special type of monster,we are more magic based than normal monsters.We do not really need to eat or drink,but do so as a luxury or if we need to heal.Though for skeletons,our food is directly turned into energy,as we do not have the digestive tract like more animalesque monsters have.”

 

Gaster carefully reaches up to his chest,he willing his soul into appearance.An inverted purple heart,laced with some reddish orange magic,appeared between his hands,Claire gasping in awe.He smiled softly,explaining,

 

“This is a monster’s soul.Our souls power our magical abilities,each monsters abilities different with each monster type and each individual monster.The color of the monster’s soul is the color of their magic.It is only ever one color,never more than one color.It is rare to have two colors.”

 

Glancing down at his soul again,he narrowed his sockets,seeing hairline cracks on his soul,one large crack in the middle,but not reaching the ends of the upside down heart.A frown replaced his fond smile,the purple heart beating softly in his hands.

 

Claire pointed at the odd coloring,she asking softly,

 

“Why is it two colors if one is the normal color for a monster’s soul?”

 

Gaster laughed softly,a purple blush dusting his cheekbones.

 

“T-that is,ah,a soul bond.It is made between mates,or lovers as you would call them.”

 

The redheaded woman giggled softly,she pointing at it gently to say,

 

“So that orange color is your wife?”

 

The blush on the scientist’s face darkened a few shades,his soul glowing brightly at the thought of his wife,but also panged painfully,making him wince.Claire gasped,she asking quietly,

 

“Are you ok?”

 

He nodded,pushing his soul back into his chest.

 

“I am fine.I think since it has been so long,it pained me to remove it from my chest.”

 

He lied smoothly,the redhead nodding and asking softly,

 

“So you’re a skeleton monster,of a race of beings that existed long ago?”

 

Gaster nodded,he replying,

 

“When the humans attacked all those years ago,they sealed the rest of my kind underground,beneath Mount Ebott,unable to escape.”

 

The brown eyed woman frowned,she saying softly,

 

“I’m so sorry about what happened.....”

 

He smiled grimly,murmuring softly,

 

“It has nothing to do with you,that was hundreds of years ago.”

 

Claire giggled,the scientist’s browbone furrowing.

 

“What is it?”

 

He questioned.She snickered and snorted,

 

“You’re old!”

 

A bright blush enveloped his face,Gaster stuttering,

 

“I-I am n-not!!!”

 

The redhead burst out laughing,the scientist huffing out,

 

“Well you are a child!”

 

Claire roared with laughter,the skeleton’s face getting darker the more she laughed,she shouting,

 

“Well you’re still old!!!”

 

“And you are still a child in comparison to me!!!”

 

He shouted back,his bright purple blush practically glowing on his snow white skull.The brown eyed woman fell over laughing,Gaster growling softly and crossing his arms,looking away.The redhead calming after wearing herself out,she staring off into the house while she lay on her back,her interest peaking as she saw a picture frame,the old wooden frame facing away from her.

 

She righted herself,moving to pick it up and look at it,she seeing three skeletons in the picture,one being Gaster,one of a round faced skeleton woman,and another of a tiny round faced child,his grin the same as his mother’s,but the eyes were definitely full of curiosity,much like her skeleton friend’s were.

 

Claire moved back to face Gaster,he looking up as she asked,

 

“This is them isn't it?”

 

He saw she held the photograph he had come back for,risked his life for,and ended up losing his family for.He sighed sadly,reaching out to take it and say,

 

“Yes.”

 

He pointed to his wife,introducing them as he went.

 

“This is Cee.Her full name being Cedarville Cursive.She was a scientist like myself,except I had become Royal Scientist,the highest ranking scientist you could be under King Asgore.Asgore is a goat monster,his wife Toriel and son Asriel being goat monsters too.She was ambitious and strong willed.Nothing would deter her from any project and her passion for science was like a blazing inferno,it was not easily put out.”

 

He pointed to himself,saying,

 

“This is myself before the war.I was newly appointed Royal Scientist,and Cee was my second in command.I was young and ambitious,I was looking into many types of technological and magical advancements,Cee working more in biology and astrology.”

 

A smile donned his face as he finally got to his son.

 

“This,-”

 

He held the frame tighter,smiling broader.  
  
“This is Sans.Short for Comic Sans.He had just turned three the day this was taken,and he was a mischievous child,getting into things he should not have,trying to get into my blueprints and lab.”

 

Gaster chuckled.

 

“He had always been a curious child,always finding ways to get into trouble or suckering some poor monster into giving him ketchup or something sweet.”

 

About to continue,his eye lights paused on his wife’s distended belly,his eye sockets tearing up a bit as he explained,swallowing a lump in his nonexistent throat,his finger pointing to her belly.

 

“This.....this is our unborn child.Cee was about two months from being due,we knew it was a boy,but unsure what to name him at the time.”

 

The scientist swallowed again,he watching a tear fall onto the glass as he continued,

 

“I......I had settled on either Papyrus or Droid Serif.I think Papyrus fits better though.I have a feeling he would have liked it.”

 

Looking up at Claire,she looked sad,but murmured softly,

 

“Gaster,I think he would’ve loved it.”

 

The scientist sniffed,wiping a few tears away.

 

“You think so?”

 

She nodded,the two sitting in silence before the redhead took the picture back quietly,placing the picture back where it was without protest from the skeleton.Clearing her throat,the brown eyed woman asked after Gaster looked at her,

 

“So,what was that thing from earlier?That skull thing?”

 

Gaster chuckled,he wiping the remnants of his tears away and saying,

 

“Oh that?That is called a Gaster Blaster.It is a form of an attack or defense when I am attacked.”

 

He whistled softly,the slumbering blaster up on the landing,leading to his bedroom,waking up and floating down to where they were,the blaster freezing upon seeing the human,but relaxed when it saw its master comfortable with the presence of the human.

 

It floated over and stayed to Gaster’s right,the blaster keening softly,it’s master chuckling before he scratched under it’s chin,the blaster purring as it was scratched.Claire gaped at the huge skull,she asking softly,

 

“What does it do?”

 

Looking away from his purring companion,the scientist said,

 

“It uses a high pressure energy beam to attack my opponents.They are quite nice to have as companions though,and they are quite sentient.They can think for themselves,and can act without my orders.”

 

The blaster keened again,the scientist rolling his non-existent eyes and continuously scratching it’s chin,he moving his hand up to rub the top of the blaster’s skull,Gaster continuing,

 

“But they are quite needy,and like to be pet.They put their two cents in while I am working and do not like it when I do not get enough sleep.”

 

The redhead snickered,grinning as she spoke.

 

“It seems more like they’re looking out for you when you don't do it yourself.”

 

The blaster to the scientist’s right snorted,opening it’s sockets to half mast,it’s eye lights on its master,it looking very smug.Gaster chuckled,scolding lightly,

 

“That does not mean you have to rub it in you know.I know you think she is right.”

 

It huffed out a laugh,the skeleton monster rolling his non-existent eyes again and murmuring,

 

“Alright,enough out of you.”

 

He removed his hand from the blaster’s skull,shooing it away,the blaster just huffing and resting on the floor beside the scientist.The monster sighed,pinching his browbone together,he murmuring,

 

“You never listen.....”

 

Claire snickered,she saying,

 

“Hey he isn’t that bad.He’s like a puppy.You just have to train him.”

 

Gaster snorted,crossing his arms and legs.

 

“A very large and chaotic puppy that never seems to want to listen no matter what I do.”

 

He shot the blaster a glare,the blaster seeming to smile up at him with a huffing chuckle before closing it’s sockets.He rolles his non-existent eyes again,he murmuring,

 

“So tomorrow we will go to the university,and we will need a resume correct?I can easily make one if need be.”

 

The redhead nodded,adding on,

 

“You’ll need to dress nicely for the interview,but I doubt they’ll turn you down.But we’ll need something to cover your face,we obviously can’t tell them you’re a monster.”

 

The scientist snorted,muttering softly,covering his chest with a hand,

 

“I knew I was not that appealing to look at,but you wound me.”

 

Claire snorted,she chuckling,

 

“Wow that was bad.I never saw you as someone to make puns but I guess I was wrong.You knew what I meant.”

 

A soft chuckle came from Gaster’s mouth,he murmuring,

 

“Obviously.But anyway,I think a hoodie is not appropriate,so we will have to go with something else.I think I can study up on some concealing magic,but it has been awhile since I have used it.”

 

Claire nodded.

 

“That sounds good.You do that.I’ll talk to the university,and I’ll come by at around two tomorrow to get you.That sound good?”

 

“Fantastic.I will see you then.”

 

The redhead smiled and stood,she saying as she went to the door,

 

“See you tomorrow bonehead.”

 

A chuckle left the skeleton,he calling as she opened the door,

 

“Goodnight Giggles!”

 

Laughter was his response as the door shut with a click,her laughter echoing until the sound of a car door shutting cut it off.He listened to her car pull out of his driveway,he then slumping his shoulders and sighing.

 

He was so tired.The day had been an emotional rollercoaster,Gaster now drained emotionally and physically from the day's events.He was hungry,but too tired to get up and grab anything,not really knowing what to make himself for dinner.Summoning a few extra hands,he sent them towards the kitchen,they grabbing a few things and making a quick sandwich.

 

The two others dissipated as two came back,one carrying a plate with his sandwich,another carrying a cup of red wine,he taking the two items,the hands dissipating once he had them.He sat in silence while he ate,the scientist placing his dishes on the coffee table once he was done.

 

Standing up,he yawned softly,his back popping a few times,the scientist heading towards the stairs,his blaster following silently,it keeping a watch on it’s master from a distance.About halfway upstairs,Gaster’s vision blurred,his mind swimming from lethargy or something else,the scientist grabbing hold of the railing with both hands,his vision fading in and out,he gasping softly at what he saw.

 

He saw two skeletons,one a young Sans,a bit older by the looks of it,and another skeleton child,the two setting a blanket on the stairs,the two snickering and giggling.Sans looked to the other skeleton,who was clearly worried,and said,

 

_“c’mon pap!it’s fun!let’s go!”_

 

_The younger skeleton shook his head,he murmuring softly,_

 

_“Sans!Mom said it’s bad for little skeletons to get hurt!”_

 

_Sans chuckled,his eye lights glowing in excitement._

 

_“mom’s not here right now,she’s in her lab!c’mon pap!it’ll be fun!”_

 

_The younger skeleton sighed,sitting on the blanket._

 

_“Fine!But if I get in trouble I’ll be mad at you!”_

 

Sans’s giddiness silenced him as he sat behind the skeleton named ‘Pap’,he using his short arms to propel them down the stairs,Gaster reaching forward to yell,

 

“Wait!!”

 

The figures fading as they were halfway down the stairs.The scientist gasped and panted,the ‘vision’ taking a lot from him.Purple tears were in his sockets,the skeleton starting to shake and tremble,tears flowing freely down his face.Stars above,he misses his family.

 

Gaster clutched his head suddenly,a searing pain ripping through his skull,the scientist letting out an alarmed yelp as he fell to his knees.The stairs aren’t the best place to fall to his knees,and in doing so,he lost his footing,the skeleton slipping down the stairs,his skull cracking on the stairs,his vision going dark.

 

-

 

Having sensed it’s master in distress,the blaster had moved closer,hovering a few feet from Gaster,the blaster watching as it’s master fell to the floor.

 

It rushed to stop him from falling any further down the stairs when he slipped,the harsh crack that left it’s master limp the final stair he hit before the blaster grabbed him by the sleeve,it’s massive jaws gentle with the scientist as it carried the unconscious skeleton back up the stairs and up onto the landing,it nudging the master bedroom’s doors open with it's spiked skull,it gently laying Gaster onto the bed.

 

It whined in concern,another blaster appearing beside it upon it’s call,the two blasters clicking and whistling to each other to ask the other what happened or what to do.The second congratulated the first on what it had done,it saying the only thing they could do was check for more injuries and be sure there wasn’t damage to his HP.

 

The first clicked twice,a confirmation,and checked it’s masters stats,unique to these two blasters.

 

**Name - Wing Dings Gaster**

**LV:1**

**HP - 970/1000**

**ATK - 9**

**DEF - 8**

 

***He is unconscious,yet uneasy.**

 

The blaster told the second that -30 HP was lost,the second clicking that it wasn’t anything to worry about.They chatted for a while,they checking for any physical damage,there being none but a small crack at the side of his skull,straight from his left eye socket to the side of his skull.

 

They agreed it was fine for now,the second blaster disappearing while the first blaster covered Gaster with the blanket,it resting itself upon the bed beside it’s master,it whining in concern before falling silent,it watching his stats carefully in case of a fluctuation or decrease in HP.This was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate that I cant use Sans and Paps fonts.But,I rolled with it.


	12. The University And Celebration

 

With a groan,his eye sockets cracked open,his hand coming up quickly to shield his eye sockets from the bright light siphoning through his windows.

 

“I must shut those before bed next time.”

 

He murmured,sitting up carefully,a painful throb of his head slowing his motions.Once Gaster was sitting up,he swung his legs off the end of the bed,his skull rushing with dizziness as he tried to rest upon his feet,his vision blurring,something catching him before he fell.

 

Using his hands,as his vision was impaired at the moment,his head swimming,he felt bone beneath him,he murmuring softly to the blaster beneath him,

 

“A-ah.Thank you.”

 

The blaster keened softly,it resting the scientist upon his feet,it having his arm slung over the top of its head.He walked towards the bathroom,feeling the need to go there and shower,the skeleton monster entering the room,the blaster having to resize itself to be smaller to fit into the room.

 

Feeling a bit better,he moved off of the blaster,he walking further into his black and white,small hints of purple here and there,colored bathroom.He passed the mirror on his hunt to find a towel,he backtracking to look into the mirror.

 

There was a crack going from his left eye socket to the left side of his skull.He examined the new injury,a wince coming from him as he touched it.

 

“Where did this come from?”

 

He murmured softly,looking back at the blaster,it whining softly,the scientist looking back at his reflection,a hunch telling him to check his stats.

 

**Name - Wing Dings Gaster**

**LV:1**

**HP - 970/1000**

**ATK - 9**

**DEF - 8**

 

***He is puzzled.**

 

His eye lights widened in shock.He lost 30 HP????When was this????

 

He thought for a moment,the shock falling into deep thought.

 

“Ah!”

 

The skeleton said,looking back at the mirror.A frown crossed his features.He got this by falling down the stairs?

 

“A crude way to receive such a thing....”

 

He muttered softly,turning away from the mirror,gathering magic into his hands.It wasn’t too bad,but he had to heal his HP,otherwise he’d feel slightly lethargic and hazy minded all day until he ate.Placing a green glowing hand upon his skull,right over the crack,he felt it close up,Gaster feeling much more energized than when he first woke up.

 

Removing his hand,he smiled,the crack gone.

 

“Better.”

 

He smiled,moving on to pick a towel off the rack beside the door.He hadn’t seen it in his hazy state of mind.Energy renewed and goal in mind,he prepared to get into the shower,the blaster floating outside and shutting the door softly,it floating outside the bathroom.

 

\--

 

Turning the shower off,he stepped out and wrapped the towel around his hips and walked out of the bathroom.Striding into his bedroom,Gaster heard his phone buzz on his nightstand,the scientist going over to pick it up,he unlocking it and checking his messages.

 

It was from Claire.

 

_ [Hey are you ready?I’ll be there in about twenty minutes.] _

 

He smiled,typing back,

 

_ [I am just about to get dressed.I will see you when you get here.] _

 

A vibration and another text.

 

_ [Alright!I’ll get us coffee and something quick to eat!Then we’ll go out for a while until the meeting at five.] _

 

He typed,

 

_ [That sounds good.] _

 

And put down his phone heading over to his closet and opening it,looking at all his clothing.Most of it was black or purple,the purple mostly turtleneck sweaters,some being dress shirts.He picked out a nice black suit,a purple turtleneck and a pair of sleek black shoes.Summoning four skeletal hands,the scientist placed said items on the bed,walking over to the bureau to get his socks and underwear.

 

\--

 

Once he was dressed,he strode over to his nightstand and picked up his phone,Gaster noticing he had a few texts.Two were from Claire,one from an unknown number.

 

_ [G I’m on my way,I’ll be there in five minutes.] _

 

_ [G pick up the phone.I need to call you.I have to tell you something.I was doing some digging in the library and found some things that you should know about.] _

 

These were from Claire,the second giving him the chills.That is,until he looks at the final text,the one from the unknown number.

 

_ [I know what you are.] _

 

It was eerie and pretty unnerving,even to the scientist,and he ignored it in favor for calling Claire,he murmuring to his blasters as the phone rang,

 

“You are to stay here and watch the house.Do not be seen,and stay low.I’ll be home in a few hours.”

 

They nodded,both blasters moving towards the door,one staying just outside the door,one going to search the home.Two more blasters appeared with a wave of his hand,and they joined in hiding around the house.

 

Walking towards the exit to his bedroom,Gaster hears a whine,his clingiest - _ in his opinion clingiest _ \- blaster coming into the room,the sentient skull rubbing its snout on his chest,the scientist sighing gently,patting the magical being.

 

“I will be fine.Do not worry.”

 

The blaser whined again,nudging him.He sighed,rubbing its skull.

 

This blaster looked nothing like his others,who were meant to intimidate rather than attack,looking pretty scary in his wife’s opinion.This one on the other hand,and its brother,were completely different in look,a much gentler and approachable look about them.These two blasters were from his childhood,they being the first two he had ever summoned.They were sentient from the beginning,and,he may not say it often,he cared about the big magical skulls.

 

They had always been something of a pet to him,and they were something he cherished deeply.He had named them when he was about ten,the one the scientist was with now named Anada,its brother named Antic.Both for respective reasons.He and Antic got into a lot of trouble when he was younger,the blaster having a mischievous streak.Anada,A and Ada for short,was more of a mother hen,looking out for his wellbeing and making sure he was alright.

 

Gaster sighed,rubbing Anada’s head again.He looked the blaster in the face and murmured,

 

“Ada,I will be fine.It is ok.”

 

The purple eye lights of the skull looked up at him,pleading with him.The skeleton monster sighed,he murmuring,

 

“Alright,you win.You can come.”

 

A happy noise was his response,the blaster nudging him lovingly before he interrupted,

 

“But,you have to stay out of sight.That means stay small Ada.”

 

It nodded,the blaster disappearing with a pop.Rustling in his pocket caught the scientist’s attention,a glance down showing him that Anada was a small skeleton animal,its small boney paws on the edge of his pocket.The blaster was the size of a mouse,unable to be seen only if the blaster moved a lot or stuck it’s head out.

 

He lifted a finger to rub the blaster’s head softly,a small purr his response.Talking came from his phone,he having forgotten all about calling Claire.Bringing his phone up to his nonexistent ear,he said,replacing his hand with a summoned hand,continuously petting his beloved blaster friend,

 

“Hello?”

 

There was yelling for a moment,Gaster having to move the phone away from his nonexistent ear until it stopped.Once it did,he murmured,

 

“Claire?”

 

A breath came,shouting scaring him into almost dropping his phone.

 

_ “YOU IDIOT I WAS CALLING YOU FOR FIVE MINUTES!!!!!!!!” _

 

The skeleton murmured softly,a tint of purple dusting his cheeks,

 

“I am,ah.....I am sorry Claire.I was busy for a moment.”

 

He heard a huff.

 

_ “Well distracted or not,I’m on my way to get you.Meet me downstairs and don't get off track again.” _

 

He murmured,heading out of his bedroom,

 

“I will not,do not worry.I am heading down now.”

 

A chuckle.

 

_ “You better be dressed properly or so help me,I’ll dress you myself.” _

 

Gaster sputtered,face bright purple,he stopping halfway down the stairs,

 

“I-I....that is!....CLAIRE!!”

 

She giggled from the other end,his face getting brighter.

 

“That is highly inappropriate!!!Do not say such lewd things!!!”

 

He screeched,continuing his descent down the stairs.He hissed,Claire stopping her laughter abruptly,

 

“That is not funny Claire!It would not be funny if I said that to you!”

 

There silence until she purred,voice quiet,

 

_ “Oh it’d be a bit worse if you said it.” _

 

He stopped,his face bright as a neon sign.She started laughing,she yelling,

 

_ “Oh my GOD!!!!I wish I saw your face!Oh,it would've been PRICELESS!!!!” _

 

Gaster sputtered,regaining his voice,

 

“Claire!!!!!!T-that is h-highly inappropriate c-cut it out!!!!”

 

Continuous giggling was what came from the phone as he finished descending the stairs,the skeleton monster shaking his head.

 

_ “You have to admit that it was funny!” _

 

The redhead said from the other end,he sighing and murmuring,his face dusted slightly purple,

 

“Fine.It was some what funny.Just do not joke like that again please....”

 

Claire snickered,the scientist yawning softly,stifling it with his hand.When did he get this tired?He was sure he got a good night's sleep last night......

 

_ “Hey G,you alright?You zoned out there…” _

 

Oh right,he was speaking with Claire.He shook his head,yawning again.

 

“I am fine.Just a bit tired is all.”

 

_ “Another nightmare?” _

 

The monster yawned again,rubbing an eye socket.

 

“Not that I can recall.I remember waking up with a headache but nothing more.”

 

Gaster lied,he knew it was wrong,but he hadn't explained HP and stats to her yet so a lie was the only option.

 

_ “So you can't remember?” _

 

The scientist took a minute to think.Actually,after slipping on the stairs,he couldn't remember anything.Anada chirped worriedly from his pocket,a summoned hand rubbing its head in assurance,and whispered reassurances calming the blaster.He didn't need Claire asking if he was talking to himself.Maybe he’d introduce her to Anada when she got here....

 

_ “Gaster?” _

 

“Ah,I am sorry Claire,I was thinking.No,I can not really recall what happened last night....”

 

He murmured,walking over to the living room and looking out the window.It was sunny today,his phone’s weather application telling him it was about seventy-eight degrees out.Pretty warm,but he always wore a turtleneck no matter what weather.Temperature never bothered skeletons much,except when in extremes,or low magic.

 

_ “You think you’re ok enough for the interview?Or do you need some time to rest?After all,it isn't until five anyway.” _

 

Gaster yawned,stifling it against his hand again.

 

“I will be fine Claire.I will not go if you feel I am too under the weather to go.”

 

She huffed.

 

_ “You goof,you need to take care of yourself like I tell you all the time.I think your gadgets in the basement can wait a while.” _

 

The skeleton frowned.She really knew nothing didn't she....

 

With a sigh,he pinched his brow bone,looking away from the window.His sensitivity on this subject was high,and Claire still had little knowledge of what happened,and what was so important about his lab in the cellar.

 

“I understand Claire.”

 

Was all the skeleton could mutter,his hand coming up to hold his skull.It hurt a bit now,and his vision was pulsing black around the edges.He stumbled back a bit as a sudden wave of dizziness hit him,almost knocking down a nearby lamp.He luckily regained balance,but his head was definitely hurting badly this time.

 

_ ‘Food.I need to eat to heal.’ _

 

Was what came to mind first,the scientist summoning some hands to get him something to eat,but the hands appeared then shakily flew a few feet before disappearing in a small puff of purple magic.

 

_ “Gaster?You there?I heard scuffling…” _

 

“I am fine Claire.I just tripped.”

 

Gaster murmured,his vision darkening a minute before stabilizing,the skeleton now able to stand without leaning on the nearby table,the same one holding the lamp he had almost knocked over.Taking a test step,he found he could walk again,as if nothing had happened.

 

_ “Fine or not,I’m pulling in now.I’ll be inside in a minute.” _

 

She then hung up,the scientist putting his phone in his pocket,he walking carefully to the couch,he leaning his arm on the back of it.He stayed this way as the door opened,Claire coming through the door,her mouth in a line.

 

Once she saw Gaster though,she walked over swiftly,placing something on the counter nearby as she walked past,and placing a hand on his shoulder.He looked up at her,his posture having slouched,the red head murmuring,

 

“My god…”

 

He furrowed his brow bone,the skeleton monster murmuring,

 

“What?”

 

Her fingers grazed the crack on the left side of his face,the contact pulling a wince from the scientist.

 

“This is new....It looks bad too.It’s pretty big....”

 

The skeleton’s sockets widened,his eye lights locking on her face.

 

“What??”

 

He said,the brown eyed woman bringing a small mirror up,it flipped open,to show the monster what she was talking about.Instead of there being no crack on the side of his face,there it was again,but much wider than before.

 

The scientist brought a hand up,it already glowing green,and placed it upon the injury,he asking after a minute,bringing his hand back down,

 

“Is it any better?”

 

Claire shook her head.

 

“No.It didn't do anything.Was that magic?”

 

Gaster nodded.

 

“Healing magic.That should have healed it,but that did relatively little to nothing.”

 

One of his hands came up to rest upon his chin in thought.

 

“Although,it is understandable.I did heal it earlier this morning,so either-”

 

“Wait, _ what _ ??”

 

Her tone made the scientist flinch,his eye lights looking up to see a shocked and slightly angry expression on her face.

 

“What do you mean ‘earlier this morning?’Did you know about this??”

 

The skeleton lowered his head,his purple eye lights flicking between Claire and the floor in guilt.

 

“I-I did.I-I thought it was nothing,s-so I attempted to heal it.It appears it did not work as well as I hoped....”

 

The redhead scoffed,folding her arms.

 

“Yea I can tell.”

 

The brown eyed woman sighed,pinching the bridge of her nose.

 

“Why didn't you tell me about this?”

 

The skeleton monster looked away,his brow bone scrunched in sadness.

 

“I-I....”

 

He sighed,his head dropping to hang low between his shoulders.   
  


“I am sorry.I did not want you to worry.I thought it was nothing,so I tried to handle it.”

 

She sighed,murmuring,

 

“Well next time,please tell me.Maybe I can help in some way.”

 

The scientist nodded,about to stand before he felt a pang of lethargy hit him,making him lean back on the couch with a wince.With a soft chuckle,he murmured,

 

“I,ah,you would not be hungry would you?I am quite hungry and I am thinking of eating before we head out.”

 

Claire smiled,moving over to the counter,where she had left some coffee and a bag of food.

 

“Well lucky for you,I brought something to eat.And I brought some coffee as a pick-me-up.”

 

She walked over to the scientist and lead him to the couch,the two sitting down on the black leather couch.They ate in silence,the skeleton monster visibly getting better as he ate,his energy back up to its normal levels.

 

After they finished eating,Gaster asked,

 

“Did you say you found something out at the library?During our texts earlier,you said it was urgent.”

 

The redhead started digging in her purse,she saying as she dug around,

 

“About that,I had done some digging on the history of Mount Ebott,and I found out about the monster/human war.It says here,”

 

She pulled out some documents,obviously copied from older documents,and continued as the skeleton leaned over to look,

 

“That the monsters started the war by killing a human woman.But,I know what you told me,and it does mention that a monster,a skeleton in fact,was the one who killed the human.So,I continued digging,and found that the monsters were banished under the mountain.Apparently,human children have started going missing too.”

 

The scientist frowned at the information.Humans blamed monsters for starting the war.Lovely.

 

“But listen,I did look around in what documents were left over from archeologists looking in the ruins of the monster village nearby,and they state that monsters lived in peace with humans until the war started.They were journals of a skeleton apparently,and it was named something that they couldn't decipher.They did find out what some of it said though,and what’s been deciphered was national news.It told a new outlook on the war.”

 

The scientist nodded.So that’s what those humans were doing near his house?They were looking for historical artifacts?Gaster asked softly,

 

“May I see the journal if you have a copy of it?I may be able to decipher it.”

 

Claire shook her head.

 

“I didn't make a copy of it,but I can next time I’m there.I know you’ll be able to tell me what it says.”

 

“I bet I can.I knew,and still know,the ancient language.I will be a bit rusty,but I am sure-”

 

A small growl was what interrupted their talking,Claire looking around,not finding the source.

 

“Do you hear that?”

 

She asked,the scientist looking confused until he looked down at Anada,and seeing the blaster poking its head out of his pocket,paws and all,growling at his redheaded friend.Fear flew across his face quickly,he murmuring quickly to the blaster,so quiet only he and the blaster could hear,

 

“Be quiet Ada!She will hear you!”

 

The blaster continued to growl,indicating with its eye lights that, -’ _ There’s a human in the house!’ _ \- Claire looking around still,until she looked at him,the scientist looking up quickly,the brown eyed woman asking,

 

“Seriously,do you hear that??”

 

He nodded,swallowing quietly.

 

“I do.”

 

The avid investigator looked around,she murmuring,

 

“It sounds like a dog,yet doesn't…..”

 

She looked around,The skeleton trying to relax,looking anywhere but at Anada and Claire.She looked around until she saw a small head poking out of Gaster’s chest pocket,she tilting her head,and asking,

 

“What is that in your pocket?”

 

He visibly stiffened,his eye lights tiny pin pricks in his sockets.He grinned uneasily,he muttering,

 

“N-nothing?”

 

She scowled,crossing her arms.

 

“It doesn't look like nothing.”

 

He rubbed the back of his skull,the companion in his pocket growling and snapping it's jaws at Claire as she tried to touch the blaster.The redhead pulled her finger back,she muttering,

 

“It isn’t very fond of me is it?”

 

Gaster sighed,he murmuring as he reached into his pocket to pull out the small blaster,

 

“Claire,this....this is Anada.”

 

Said blaster snarled at the woman,it laying down in the scientist’s palm,its tail wrapping around his thumb possessively.She looked down at the mouse sized blaster,she asking,

 

“Why does it keep growling at me?”

 

He looked down at the blaster,it looking up innocently with a purr in his direction,and sighed.

 

“Anada is quite possessive of me,a mother hen,if you will.”

 

“Does it have a gender?”

 

She inquired,her face now level with his hand.Gaster murmured,a skeletal hand on his chin,

 

“I am not sure.I have never given it much thought before.I think Ada would be a male,like its brother,Antic.”

 

Claire looked up,she about to question something before she squealed,startling the skeleton,and pointed at the skeletal hand,saying,

 

“Oh my God where's your arm?!”

 

He covered his chest with said skeletal hand,he saying,

 

“What in blazes do you mean??It’s right here!”

 

He raised his left hand,waving it around.His redheaded friend pointed to his summoned hand and said,

 

“No, _ that _ arm!”

 

The scientist looked over,he laughing softly before saying,

 

“I forgot about that.That,my friend,is a artificial magical appendage.”

 

It waved at his friend,she asking,rubbing her temples,

 

“Please say that in English....”

 

He sighed,the skeleton monster muttering,

 

“It is an apparition.I can summon these hands to aid me.”

 

She beamed,getting over the initial shock,

 

“That’s so cool!How many can you summon?Is there a limit?What can they do?Is there a limit to what they can do?How much weight can they hold?”

 

Gaster chuckled,he saying,

 

“Well,there is not really a maximum amount I can summon,but I never use more than eight.They can do virtually anything,but I mostly use them around the lab,or when I need to move a lot of items.Involving the limit to what they can do,they can do anything,including use items and interact with others.When I am not speaking English,they tend to translate into sign language.”

 

The scientist’s brow bone furrowed in thought.

 

“Concerning the weight they can hold,I have found it difficult to lift more than five hundred pounds using one hand.Using more than one,I am unsure if there is a limit to what they can hold.”

 

Her eyes were lit up,she asking,

 

“What else can you do?”

 

The skeleton chuckled,

 

“I can do a lot.But before we were talking about my extra hands,you were inquiring about my friend here.”   
  
He gestured to Anada,the blaster having been watching Claire the whole time.Said woman grimaced,she asking,

 

“Doesn't it not like me?”

 

Gaster chuckled,he petting Anada with a finger,getting a purr in response,

 

“Oh Ada is only possessive as I said before.It usually behaves,but can be very hostile towards those deemed untrustworthy.Ada has not gotten to know you yet,Claire.”

 

When he looked up at his friend,he saw she was looking at him in a funny way....

 

“What is with that look?”

 

The scientist asked quizzically,tilting his head.Claire giggled,she murmuring,

 

“Is that a nickname?”

 

He blushed brightly,purple coating his cheeks.

 

“I-I.....”

 

“That’s cute.Have you had it long?It sounds like it.”

 

She murmured,smiling sweetly.He muttered,looking away in embarrassment,

 

“I-I have had A-Ada since childhood.We are very close.”

 

His friend smiled fondly,his blush dimming.

 

“It sounds nice to have someone looking after you for so long.”

 

He smiled fondly at the blaster,rubbing Ada’s head.

 

“It is.He has been with me for a very long time.”

 

The skeleton held his hand out to his friend,he murmuring softly,

 

“Now Ada,please be nice to Claire.She is a kind person,and cares a lot about me.”

 

The brown eyed woman carefully stuck a finger out,she murmuring,

 

“I honestly mean no harm.”

 

Ada eyed the foreign person before it,moving to sniff the woman’s finger,the blaster nudging it with its bony snout after a few minutes.Gaster smiled,he murmuring,

 

“Good boy Ada.I will reward your behavior later.”

 

A purr was his response,he nodding at Claire’s silent question.Her finger brushed the bone of the blaster’s head,the blaster purring loudly at the contact,it leaning into it.The skeleton chuckled,he murmuring,

 

“Ada likes you.He does not take to anyone this quickly normally.”

 

The redhead giggled,the blaster rubbing the hand petting it,it turning to whine at its master after a while.He rolled his nonexistent eyes,he murmuring as Ada climbed up his arm,

 

“Now he thinks we are going to be late to my interview.”

 

Claire laughed softly,

 

“He’s wrong for such a mother hen type.It’s only two,so we’re good.But,”

 

She started,sitting up,

 

“How was Anada able to become so small?I remember the others being so big.”

 

“Well,”

 

Gaster started,hand on his chin,

 

“Ada wanted to come with me,afraid of something horrible happening while I was out.So after I decided,after much complaining on his part,he would come only if he was out of sight.He learned many years ago how to reform himself into a smaller version of himself,a very difficult magical ability to learn for an extension of magic,or any monster,to learn,but his sentience was not planned on our parts either.Ada made himself as small as he could,any smaller and there might be problems with his manifestation or the possibility of disappearing,-”

 

The scientist stopped,he looking up to ask,

 

“Am I rambling?”

 

Claire chuckled.

 

“Sorta.”

 

He blushed,he finishing,

 

“Ada learned how to on his own.Put in simple terms,it is difficult for any monster,let alone a manifestation of magic,to learn so.It is very advanced magic to use.”

 

She murmured,

 

“So,since he’s a manifestation,it was most likely more difficult to learn?So how’d he do it?”

 

The monster shrugged his shoulders.

 

“I honestly have no idea.He was thrilled one day and showed me how he could change his shape and resize himself.I was very impressed,for I had not even learned teleportation,which,by the way,took me years to accomplish,and he had learned a very advanced magic within the span of a month!I had only learned to summon my appendages,blasters and some bone attacks by then-”

 

Once again,he stopped,looking up.He instantly blushed,coughing softly.   
  


“I,ah,I am sorry.Talking about this is very enthralling.”

 

The redhead laughed.

 

“No it’s ok!I like learning about magic!”

 

He rubbed the back of his head.

 

“You do not find my ramblings boring?”

 

“No!”

 

She smiled.

 

“They’re quite fascinating!”

 

Gaster blushed lightly,he murmuring,

 

“Is there anything else you would like to know about?”

 

Claire smiled,she asking,

 

“So you said something about bones?

 

The skeleton smiled.

 

\--

 

After much talk about magic,the two headed out to the car at four,Claire asking as Gaster entered the car,

 

“So,since you’re without your hoodie,you’re going to use concealing magic.Have you chosen a look yet?”

 

The scientist chuckled,buckling his seatbelt.

 

“I always use the same look.I have been told it is quite attractive,but I much prefer myself instead.”

 

There was a slight glowing of magic,and he was enveloped in purple,his friend gasping as his new look was revealed.He now looked human,with jet black hair,pulled back into a sleek ponytail,the hair only reaching to the middle of his back.His eyes were normal human eyes,the iris colored the purple of his eye lights,his face harboring a few scars,one coming down from his forehead,one from his left eye to the side of his face,one coming from the corner of his mouth up to his right eye,and one coming up from the right side of chin,it branching off and ending a few inches before his right eye.

 

Claire gasped in awe,she murmuring softly,

 

“Wow.....”

 

A blush spread itself upon his cheeks,a rosy color instead of purple,the now human,in appearance only,monster looking down to stutter,

 

“I-It is n-nothing to gawk at....Just something I thought of in case I had to be face to face with humans.”

 

His redheaded friend said,her eyes sparkling,

 

“You look so professional!It’s a nice look for you.”

 

The scientist stuttered some unintelligible words,he unable to look at his companion.The brown eyed woman laughed softly,she backing the car up as she asked,

 

“So I have some friends that would like to meet you.Would it be ok if after the interview we go see them?”

 

Gaster fiddled with the end of his sleeve,he asking softly,uncertainty clear in his tone,

 

“I,ah,I-I do not know.”

 

When she turned to look at him,the car now positioned to face the distant city,she saw fear clear on his face.He looked around the car in his uncertainty,the scientist continuing,

 

“I-I do not know if I am ready to do that yet.I-I barely let you in,and-”

 

“Gaster.”

 

The man in question flinched,his head turning to look at his female friend.

 

“I know this is new to you,and it must be pretty scary.But listen,I’d never ask you about this if I didn't trust them.Ok?”

 

He nodded,the blaster in his pocket keening softly in assurance,the noise calming his nerves a little.She smiles and says,driving away from the house,

 

“It’s alright.I got you your resume,and I have everything you need ok?I’ll talk to my friends,and maybe we can meet them tomorrow.You have enough on your plate right now.”

 

The skeleton monster nodded again,turning to his right and looking out the window,watching the scenery roll by.The beautiful sunny day was relaxing,and Gaster couldn’t help but imagine what his family might be like if they hadn’t been sent underground.

 

_ He could see it now,Sans and his brother running around in the sunshine,chasing each other while he and Cee stood nearby,watching them run around,the two holding hands in the sunshine.He would look over at her,her bright smile meeting his own,and they’d agree that,yes,this was beautiful. _

 

_ He’d kiss her and look back at his boys,watching them as they played tag,Sans playfully throwing puns at his brother,and,maybe getting one in response or a yell of annoyance.He would chime a few puns in too,his wife joining in too,as the two loved puns. _

 

_ They would stay until it started to get dark,then they’d watch the sunset and head home,smiling and laughing.Their home would be the one he currently lived in,pictures of his family all over,Sans’s birthdays,his brother’s birthdays,Gyftmas,and of many other holidays.He’d help his wife make dinner,and since he’d see the two tired,he’d say- _

 

“Hey!Gaster!”

 

The scientist’s head snapped up,he turning to look at Claire.She looked worried,she asking softly,

 

“You ok?You spaced out.”

 

He nodded,remaining silent.His throat felt tight,and he knew if he said anything,she’d know he was thinking of something that obviously hurt him.The red head’s hand came up to his cheek,and wiped something off his face.She murmured softly,

 

“You’re crying....”

 

The skeleton moved a hand up to feel his face and,lo and behold,he was.He wiped them away,he chuckling quietly,

 

“That I am.”

 

The brown eyed woman asked softly,

 

“What were you thinking of?”

 

He turned to look out the window,watching the scenery outside change to the grey colors of the city a murmur his answer,

 

“My family.”

 

Claire’s eye brows furrowed sadly,she trying to keep her focus on the road as she listened to him continue,

 

“I was thinking of what it would be like if they never left.I was imagining Sans and his brother playing in the sunshine,my wife and I watching from nearby.”

 

A soft chuckle left him,his hand coming up to wipe a few tears away.

 

“And how when it started to get dark,we would all watch the sun set,then head home for dinner afterwards.I would help Cee prepare dinner,our boys playing in the living room while we cooked.And while we ate,I would see my boys tired from playing all day long,so after dinner we would take them to bed.They would change into their pajamas,and then they would lay down and read them a bedtime story.”

 

He laughed softly,wiping more tears from his cheeks.

 

“Sans always loved stories,especially those about dragons and princesses.He was a bright little skeleton.”

 

Claire murmured softly,

 

“I bet he was.I wish I could’ve met him.”

 

Gaster laughed softly,wiping more tears way as he turned to face his friend.

 

“He would have loved to meet you.”

 

\--

 

The car was silent after the scientist’s comment,they arriving at the university soon afterwards.The car was parked,and the duo stepped out,heading up the stairs and towards the entrance.Once inside,they headed for the elevator,and rode it to the second floor,they getting out and checking in with the receptionist.She informed them that they were right on time,and to go and see the head scientist,whose office was down the hall to the right.

 

Following the receptionist’s instructions,Gaster and Claire went to the door,the latter informing the scientist that she would wait outside.The disguised skeleton monster objected to this,his nerves getting the best of him,and making him have a small panic attack,almost making him lose his disguise.She was able to calm him,the redhead finally getting him to go inside.

 

\--

 

Once he stepped into the office,resume in hand,Gaster knew he was on his own.He gulped softly,the man at the desk,having dark brown hair,combed back into a sleek wave of hair,wearing a white lab coat,black dress pants,black shoes,a maroon dress shirt and a black tie.The man looked up from what he was writing,the two observing each other until the man murmured,voice deep and silky,

 

“Have a seat,”

 

He paused,looking through a manilla file next to his right hand before continuing,pulling a few papers from within,

 

“Gaster is it?”

 

The black haired ‘human’ nodded,moving silently to sit in the plush red seated chair in front of the desk.The wood adorning the plush red seat was dark,a lovely contrast in color in the skeleton’s opinion.The man before him looked through the papers in his hands before looking up and asking,

 

“Can you tell me a bit about what you do?Such as what scientific fields you have worked in or have studied?”

 

The nervous scientist sat a bit straighter,he beginning softly,

 

“W-well,I have worked in many fields,mostly technology and engineering.”

 

Seeing the man before him intrigued,the skeleton continued,more confidently,

 

“I have experience with astrology and biology,but they are not really my forte.Although I have a degree in technology and engineering,I have another in chemistry,and mathematics.”

 

The scientist before him wrote this down,he asking,

 

“So you say you have degrees in technology,engineering,chemistry and mathematics.Is there anything you have made or are making that is worth me taking a look at?”

 

Gaster perked up at this,he saying animatedly,

 

“Well I do a have several blueprints for various machines,one of my favorites being for a machine I call the Core.It transforms geothermal energy into electric energy,and is completely self sustaining.The only problem is the coolant system,which has issues in which there is not enough coolant to keep the machine stable.Most of my small scale models either overheat and meltdown or they cease working once too hot.”

 

The man wrote this down hastily,he asking,

 

“I see.But what else besides this ‘Core’ have you created?”

 

The monster waved his hand nonchalantly,

 

“Oh I have tinkered with robotics,attempting to make some robots that can harness geothermal energy to function,but most attempts have been unsuccessful.They either have too much energy and explode or can not process the energy fast enough to output it in some way.I have also created some chemical compounds that can either vaporize the matter instantly upon contact or it destroys it in seconds,causing a rather large explosion.”

 

The dark haired man wrote this down,he asking once he was done,

 

“Anything else?”

 

“I have been experimenting with chemicals,and have made a balm which can heal any surface wound within a matter of hours or minutes,depending on how serious the injury.I have tested it on a large laceration,and it healed within the matter of a day and a half.The subject survived with minimal or no scarring present.”

 

The man wrote this down too,he murmuring as he sat up straight,

 

“Well Gaster,you seem to have a lot of potential,and from what you’ve told me,you have a lot of experience in the fields you mentioned.I’d like to see some of these creations of yours,and from what I can see,you’re a very brilliant man.”

 

The man stood up,the monster doing the same,the dark haired scientist murmuring as he stuck out his hand,Gaster taking hold of it,

 

“I think you’d be an amazing addition to our team.”

 

The scientist said,holding back his excitement,

 

“Thank you sir.I look forward to working with such a brilliant man.”

 

“Please,call me Doctor Etziel.We are colleagues starting Monday after all.You’ll be working in the main lab on the fifth floor.”

 

Letting go of the skeleton monster’s hand,he waved as he left,Gaster grinning like a mad man once the door closed behind him.He saw Claire waiting over by the water fountain and strode over quickly,he murmuring loudly,barely containing his excitement,

 

“I got the job!”

 

His redheaded friend grinned,she saying happily,

 

“Alright!let’s go celebrate!”

 

\---

 

Once they exited the building,happily chatting about what he’d be doing,they then entered the car,Claire saying as they buckled up,

 

“I know this great place near the edge of the city.We’ll go there and drink,then head home.”

 

Gaster murmured,his mood dampened a bit,

 

“Drink?You mean alcohol?”

 

She nodded,starting the car and asking gently,

 

“Are you uncomfortable with wine?We won't be drinking a lot,it’s unsafe to drive while drunk.”

 

The skeleton,still disguised as a human,murmured,a soft blush on his face,

 

“N-no,it is just,ah....it has been some time since I last had alcohol.I may not handle it well.”

 

The redhead giggled,driving away from the curb,

 

“Don't worry!I won't let you drink too much.”

 

He nodded,smiling again.

 

“That was pleasant.I thought it would be worse,but he was very kind,and asked many questions about what I had done and what I had made.”

 

His brown eyed friend smiled,

 

“That’s Doctor Etziel right?”

 

After she received a nod,she continued,

 

“He mentored me when I was in college.He offered me a job,and I turned it down,preferring to work in the internship program.I help aspiring scientists get a head start in a field of their choice.I always tell them to stay positive,because too many get too stressed and want to give up.”

 

She sighed softly.

 

“I’m glad you’ll be working under Doctor Etziel.He’s a very kind man.We’re really close,he likes to check in with me all the time.He’ll treat you good.I’m sure of it.Don't be intimidated by him,he’ll explain a lot of what you’ll be working in on Monday.”

 

Claire murmured,her gaze on the road softening,

 

“It’s nice to know that he’s doing well.I was talking with his wife in the hall a few minutes before you came out,and he’s apparently looking for an assistant.She said he’s hoping to have the assistant take over his position one day,for he’s thinking of retiring in about ten years or so.”

 

Gaster nodded,looking back out the window.He was happy with this new opportunity of course,and to be working with someone Claire knew and respected,but,he couldn't help but feel.....numb.

 

It was still hard to talk about the Core and other things he created,since they were made in mind of helping his kind.

 

He sighed softly.Cee would've been proud of him.He felt it in his soul that she would've been so happy to know he was doing well.Well,mostly well.He had never told his friend about-

 

“Here we are!”

 

His head snapped around to face her,thoughts interrupted.The car stopped in front of a fancy looking restaurant,Claire shutting off the car and grabbing hold of her purse.He put on a smile, his thoughts drifting back to his earlier achievement.

 

The disguised skeleton got out of the car,shut the door and followed his friend into the restaurant,his eyes roaming all over the nicely decorated interior.They were shown a table in the corner,away from prying eyes.

 

Once seated,they ordered some steaks and a bottle of red wine,much to the scientist’s dismay.Claire murmured,watching the waiter walk away,

 

“I’m seriously so proud of you!You got the job!”

 

Gaster smiled weakly,his frown returning as he looked away.The redhead asked softly,tilting her head,

 

“G?You ok?”

 

The skeleton sighed,looking down at his hands.

 

“I am happy,I truly am,but speaking of all those projects and blueprints.....They were all created and thought of with my kind in mind.I wanted to create them to make things easier and better for my kind.”

 

He looked out the window at the darkened city,continuing,

 

“I did not know that now I would be using these useful ideas to get myself a job underneath a human that I do not even know!I do not know how to feel about this:excited,or ashamed?”

 

Claire smiled softly,resting a hand over his.

 

“Well,for starters,how about you think about what good this will do you.You can use the lab for your own uses as well as what is required of you!As long as you complete your work first.”

 

He scoffed teasingly,

 

“What do you take me for?A slacker?”

 

She laughed softly,teasing,

 

“Well you do spend quite a lot of time losing sleep in that lab of yours.”

 

The scientist scowled playfully,grinning and saying,

 

“Well unlike you,I actually do something in my spare time!”

 

She gasped in fake hurt,hand over her chest.

 

“Take that back!I do a lot of study on astrology in my spare time!”

 

The skeleton grinned,

 

“Sure you do.And I can magically create a mountain out of rocks and moss.”

 

She laughed,saying,

 

“Well with your abilities,maybe you could.”

 

Gaster scoffed,crossing his legs under the table,resting his arms on the wooden surface gently,

 

“Do not count on it.Not even I could make something like that.I do not think anyone could create a mountain out of rocks and moss.”

 

The redhead murmured,resting her hands under her chin,

 

“What could you create?”

 

The scientist thought for a moment,hand resting on his chin.

 

“I am not sure magic can be used to make such items.But,I can use it to aid myself in any natural ability I have,such as healing.More magic equals a much faster healing time.Although,it can tire the user out quicker,and drain their magic in an equal amount of time.Though magic can be infused in food and beverages to heal or make oneself or another feel better.”

 

He waved a hand,continuing,

 

“But if the user intends harm,magic can be used to create weapons,myself for example,can create bone projectiles in which I can send after my opponent.Used in melee combat,the ends can be altered,sharp ends,blunt ends,or ends much like another bone.The size of the bone can also be altered,short,long or medium sized.Long can be used much like a bow staff,or any long ranged weapon.Short can be closer combat,and can be sharpened into a knife-like weapon.Medium can be used for a variety of things.”

 

The disguised skeleton sighed.

 

“But it is very unlikely that I will ever use such things.It has been years since I have felt in any way threatened,and humans have changed since the war.There is a zero percent chance that I will ever need to use such violence.I would not want to anyway.It is not very pleasant to feel fear in such a way.”

 

Claire was silent until she murmured,

 

“Well,that’s a good thing right?You know your magic can be used for better things than violence.”

 

He nodded quietly,looking back out the window.The moon was out by now,and its white light bathed the distant trees and roads.

 

“It is a good thing.But I feel magic is best used to aid in the peace between civilizations,not to be used to destroy them.I wish that all those years ago,the humans had known what I say now:Magic should be used to create,not destroy.”

 

Gaster was silent after he finished,his purple eyes watching the moon,his friend stunned at what he had said.It was truly heart wrenching to know that the man before her was so distraught and tortured by everything that had happened,but it’s very reasonable right?He was a man lost in time,suddenly ripped away from everything he knew and loved,and cast into the unknown,forever stuck with the race that had taken everything from him to begin with.

 

It was........disturbing to say the least.

 

The redheaded woman said softly,

 

“Hey.”

 

When her companion turned to face her,she continued,

 

“Maybe you can take a few days to yourself.Just relax and not think.How about that?”

 

The scientist laughed coldly,he murmuring,

 

“I have spent too long alone.I think that is the last thing I need.”

 

The waiter came at this moment,he placing their dishes on the table,along with two wine glasses and the bottle of wine,then,he left.Claire murmured softly,

 

“How about you tell me what you like?Aside from science.”

 

He hummed softly,more to calm his anger,and reached for his fork and knife,cutting his steak.

 

“Well,”

 

He started,

 

“I do like to watch the sun rise and set.I also enjoy art and astrology.Music,I prefer some classical such as Mozart and Beethoven,and some later music such as Beach Boys and Franki Valli and The Four Seasons.Some pop music here and there,but not much.”

 

He ate the piece of steak on his fork,the brown eyed woman starting with her salad first instead,she asking softly,

 

“They’re good.Have a favorite color?”

 

Gaster murmured,wiping his mouth with his napkin,

 

“Purple.Lavender specifically.It is such a nice shade of purple,although all purple is quite lovely.”

 

She nodded,murmuring,

 

“Mine is green.Grass green specifically.It’s an amazing color.”

 

The scientist nodded,adding on after he swallowed,

 

“It is indeed.Yellow is nice too.Although blue is quite a nice color also.”

 

“Favorite type of clothing?”

 

Claire murmured,taking another bite of salad.The disguised skeleton hummed,murmuring quietly,

 

“None in particular,but I enjoy looking nice.But if a had to pick a favorite  _ article _ of clothing,it would be turtleneck sweaters.They are quite cozy.”

 

The redhead smiled,asking,

 

“Favorite shoe type?”

 

He shrugged,taking a bite of bread stick,

 

“None really.Whatever is useful mostly.And what is durable.”

 

“Favorite game?”

 

She asked.The scientist thought for a moment,taking another bite of bread stick and chewing it before swallowing.

 

“I would possibly have to say,if we are talking about children’s games,tag.I always loved to play it when I was young.”

 

Claire giggled,saying,

 

“That was my favorite too!But I more preferred to climb trees.”

 

Gaster nodded,he murmuring,watching her pour them both a glass of wine,

 

“I remember doing that too,though I was more into books after I turned ten.I read everything I could get my hands onto,including my father's research and notes.He did not mind,as I always took care of such precious items.They meant a lot to him.”

 

She asked softly,taking a sip of wine,

 

“Was he a scientist too?”

 

The disguised skeleton nodded,swallowing the steak before speaking.

 

“Yes.But he was more important than just a scientist.He was the Royal Scientist,who worked below the king,and was told by the king what he was to work on.I was newly appointed Royal Scientist when the war happened.When I was awarded the title,my parents were thrilled,my father proud.”

 

He smiled fondly,hand resting below his chin.

 

“I wanted to follow in his footsteps ever since I was five.I did everything I could,and when I turned twelve,I was taken on as his apprentice,and learned all I could from him.A year before the war,he retired,and I did everything in my power to gain the title.I finally did.”

 

The brown eyed woman nodded,murmuring,

 

“When I was little,I wanted to be an astronaut.I stayed with that dream until I was in high school.Then,I learned the stars and planets were more interesting than being in a rocket for years on end,and now I’m studying planets and stars for a living.I have a masters degree in astrology,and I worked hard for it.My parents wanted me to be a veterinarian,like my mother and father.I said no.”

 

She sighed,taking a bite of her steak,having finished her salad.She finished the bite before saying,

 

“What were your parents like?Mine were strict as hell,but I loved them nonetheless.”

 

Gaster murmured,finishing his final piece of steak,

 

“Well,my mother was a sweet and kind hearted woman.She,unlike my father,was a doctor,working tirelessly to help those in need,including myself.She was always encouraging me to do my best and be who or what I wanted to be.She was strict,but that was to be expected,she did not want me to be like many other children of my generation,mischievous and troublesome.I was never a problem.My father,he was kind and a warm hearted man.He was always looking out for myself and my mother.He worked hard for everything he wanted,including my education.They always wanted the best for me.They could be very strict and difficult,but only when they knew what was best for me.They were the best parents.”

 

He was smiling fondly by the end,his eyes distant.Claire murmured,

 

“They sound like nice people.”

 

His smile grew.

 

“They were the best.They cared for many people.Combining their professions,my mother’s medical knowledge and my father’s scientific knowledge,they could do anything.And they did.”

 

The scientist finished his salad,he pushing his plate in front of himself.He asked,

 

“So,that is enough about me,what about you?What were your parents like?”

 

She shrugged,looking down as she fiddled with her fork.

 

“They worked as vets,my mother a surgeon and my father the head of all the departments.He was practically the manager of the animal hospital.They worked tirelessly and never really had a minute to spare.They were strict and caring,but arguments were frequent,especially when I announced I was going to college for astrology instead of vet school.After I graduated,we didn't talk much and still don't.It’s a hard thing to carry,especially since my dad passed away last year.My mom hasn't talked to me since.”

 

The disguised skeleton murmured,

 

“I-I am sorry for your loss.I know how hard it is to lose a parent.”

 

He looked out the window,murmuring softly,

 

“I lost both of mine years ago.”

 

Claire said softly,hand resting upon his,

 

“I’m sorry.I had no idea.”

 

He pulled his hand out from under hers,laughing softly as he wiped a few tears away,no humor in his voice whatsoever.

 

“It is fine.They have been gone for many years.It is only fair since I asked you about your parents.”

 

They were silent for some time,Gaster having pulled his cup of wine closer,he finishing the rest of the glass in a few gulps.He shivered at the warmth that slowly spread throughout his body,his chin resting upon his hand a minute after.He hummed softly,the red head asking softly,

 

“You’re done with your dinner right?”

 

The disguised skeleton nodded,continuously humming.He dimly heard his friend call for the bill,but the fuzz starting to cloud his mind deeming the information unimportant,his focus now on trying to hum a familiar tune.He heard his friend gasp softly,he feeling wind.Was a window open?

 

“Hey,you ok?”

 

He heard her ask,he opening his eyes to see her face scrunched in concern.He smiled and said softly,

 

“I am fine.”

 

She murmured,about to stand,

 

“I’m heading to the bathroom.Don't go anywhere,we’re leaving in a few minutes.”

 

And departed.His eyes locked onto her half full glass of wine,the scientist humming happily as he reached over and took it,drinking it quickly.He shivered as he put the glass down,the warmth he felt from before coming back.A soft smile reappeared on his face,his eyes locking onto the bottle of wine.It couldn't hurt to have another glass right?

 

\--

 

Upon Claire’s return to the table where she left her monster friend,she found the wine bottle on its side,and Gaster finishing a glass of wine.She walked over quickly,she taking the glass,unfortunately empty when she took it,her friend scowling at her.

 

“Hey!That is my glass.”

 

He murmured,reaching for the cup.She held it out of his reach,she asking sternly,

 

“How much wine did you have?”

 

He sighed,muttering as he crossed his arms,

 

“The bottle is empty in't it?”

 

The redhead gawked,looking at the bottle.He was right.She scowled.

 

“Gaster,you shouldn't have drank all of that!”

 

He huffed,looking away from her.

 

“I can drink as much as I want.”

 

The brown eyed woman sighed,pinching the bridge of her nose.Is he a temperamental kid when drunk?

 

“C'mon you.It’s time to get you home.”

 

Her friend hiccuped,his human form glitching out for a minute before returning to normal.Claire looked around,no one had noticed luckily,and said,taking hold of his arm,

 

“Gaster your magic isn't going to hold at this rate,we need to leave.”

 

He stood up with a sigh,the scientist holding his head.

 

“My head hurts....”

 

He mumbled,the two heading towards the exit.She was lucky she paid the bill before he got drunk,and they could leave freely.She helped him walk towards the exit and out the door,and he chose then to start giggling uncontrollably,the redhead opening his door to help him into the car,she shutting it to walk around to her side of the car.

 

When she got into her side of the car,she heard her companion crying uncontrollably,his human form now gone,the skeleton rubbing his eye sockets as he cried.Claire asked softly,keeping in mind that he was drunk,

 

“Why are you crying?”

 

He looked at her,his face covered in purple tears,and said,

 

“They are gone!”

 

She asked softly in a soothing voice,

 

“Who’s gone?”

 

“My parents!”

 

He wailed,

 

“They are dead!I want them back,but I can not because they are dead!”

 

She asked,smile forced,

 

“Do you want to tell me what happened?”

 

He nodded,bringing his hands away from his face.

 

“T-they were killed.I saw it.They were killed by two people,and they-”

 

The skeleton sniffled,rubbing his eye socket,

 

“They were not aware until it was too late.”

 

The redhead moved her hand up to rub his shoulder,she cooing,

 

“It’s alright.I know it hurts,but you can't do anything ok?”

 

He nodded,he murmuring,

 

“I wanna go home.I miss everyone.”

 

She cooed soothingly,starting the car,

 

“I know.How about we go for a ride,huh?That sound good?”

 

The crying monster sniffled,he murmuring softly,

 

“Uh huh.”

 

Claire drove away from the curb,driving towards the edge of the city,she saying softly,

 

“We’ll see the moon in a minute,ok?You can see it in the sky and all the stars around it.”

 

He nodded,pulling his legs up to his chest the best he could.The car was silent for a while,and when they finally were outside the city,he stayed silent,gazing quietly out the window.She looked over at him,his white skull mirrored on the glass,and asked softly,

 

“You ok?”

 

There was silence until he murmured,

 

“I am tired.”

 

“Of what?”

 

The redhead asked softly.There was more silence,then the soft response,

 

“I am tired of working.”

 

He looked at the moon,his purple eye lights focused on the white orb in the sky.

 

“I work so hard every night to do something that is probably impossible.I know it will never work,so why do I keep trying?”

 

He sighed,his eye lights flicking to gaze at his own reflection.

 

“I know I can not free them,so why do I keep trying?I work and work and work,and all I get is nothing but failure.Why bother?”

 

The skeleton looked down,he finishing,

 

“Why do I keep trying to do the impossible?”

 

There was silence.Claire murmured softly,

 

“There’s no problem in trying.Maybe one day you’ll figure it out.”

 

He laughed,his head moving to look back out the window.

 

“Like that will happen.I have nothing here.No family,no friends.I am an outcast,one strange creature living in a world of the same creatures that,many years ago,killed many and sealed the rest of my entire kind underground.”

 

He let out a soft sob,his arms wrapping around himself.

 

“I am alone in this world,no matter how many friends I make up here.None of which,can understand what it is like to watch thousands of people,many of which you know,be killed or sent underground,your children and spouse down there with them.My children without a father and a wife without a husband,an entire race cut in half by the hate and prejudice of another,then sent to live out the rest of their lives in an underground prison!”

 

The monster sobbed,his companion silent as he continued,

 

“And now I am stuck up on this blasted planet with a race I  _ hate _ ,many humans I meet and befriend dying before myself!I had to watch a friend I met years ago create a family,have children,and die,then his children one by one,die too.I refused after him,to meet anyone again,to never come out of my home,but,seeing the world go on without myself,I wanted to try again.”

 

He chuckled,tears falling silently down his snowy white skull,

 

“And I did.I met you,and I do not regret doing so.I just wish that every time you looked at me,it wasn't with  _ pity _ !!”

 

Gaster looked down,breathing heavily in his outburst,his hands clenched tightly on his knees.

 

“I wish,”

 

He opened his eye sockets,looking out the windshield.

 

“I just wish that you would stop looking at me like that.I want to be seen as something other than a soul lost in time,having had everything ripped away from him that he knew.I-”

 

He stopped,sobbing for a minute before continuing,

 

“I just want to see them again.I can never forgive myself for leaving her like that.Cee will live without me for the rest of her life,and my sons will never know their father.Sans,he may remember me as a distant memory,my younger son having never known me at all.”

 

He grimaced,his hands holding his skull.He stayed like this for a minute,his hands finally leaving his head before he said,

 

“I just want to see my family again.I wish I had never gone back for that damned picture.”

 

The skeleton sobbed,the heels of his hands digging into his eye sockets until he shouted,

 

“I AM SORRY!!!”

 

He gasped,his eye sockets flaring with purple as he continued,tears falling freely down his skull,seemingly never ending,

 

“You haunt my dreams,my nightmares and my thoughts during every waking moment!!!I am sorry I left you there,just please leave me alone!!!You have come to me every night,nightmare or dream!And during the day,you taunt me with visions of yourself and what your brother may look like!!!!Sans I am sorry!!!!”

 

He shoved his hand into his sockets again,he sobbing loudly,

 

“Sans,my dear son,I am sorry I left you,your brother and your mother alone!!!!I am sorry!”

 

He sobbed,his body trembling violently,

 

“I am sorry,I am sorry!!!Sans please,my darling boy,leave me be!I am haunted enough by what I did to you three!Leave me to sleep and think without regretting my entire existence!!!!I regret what I have done,and I wish I could take it back!But I can not!!!Please my dear son,leave me alone!”

 

The scientist sobbed,unable to stop the flow of emotions roaring through his skull.He mumbled many unintelligible words and phrases,the only one he was coherent enough to speak was the phrase,

 

“I am sorry.”

 

The car was filled with this mumbling until the duo was within sight of the skeleton monster’s home,his sobbing having quieted.Now he only sat in silence staring out the window,skull streaked with dried purple tears.His eye lights didn't stray off of the moon,the purple orbs locked onto it.

 

Claire felt that he needed time to himself,so she had stayed quiet,the only sounds being the car tires on the dirt road,and the rustling of the wind hitting the foliage outside.When she pulled into his driveway,she turned to look at him and murmur,

 

“Hey,do you want me to walk you inside?”

 

The skeleton shook his head,he silently undoing the seatbelt and opening the door.He murmured before shutting the door,his eye lights looking down at the ground,

 

“You can introduce me to your friends tomorrow if you like.I will be ready when you text me that you will be here.I will see you tomorrow Claire.”

 

He was about to shut the door,but stopped,he murmuring quietly,

 

“I am sorry for tonight.I am sorry you had to see that.”

 

Before shutting the door and walking towards his house,he opening the door and walking through,shutting it behind himself.He listened to her car sit there for a minute,his phone buzzing in his pocket.The scientist pulled it out and opened it,he opening his texts to see Claire had texted him,the text reading,

 

_ [Gaster,I hope you’re ok.If you need to talk about it,I’m here.I’ll listen.Goodnight and sweet dreams.I’ll be by tomorrow at noon if you’re ok with that.] _

 

He typed,his boney fingers tapping on the screen,

 

_ [That is perfect.I truly am sorry for how I acted,I know you are here if I need to talk.Thank you.] _

 

His phone buzzed,the final text being,

 

_ [Don't worry about it bonehead.I know you have a lot to think about,and I should try to understand a bit better.Just be careful next time,and don't drink a whole bottle of wine.I care about you,you big bag of bones,and I mean that.Have a good night's sleep,and that means no tinkering in the lab no matter how important it is.Please,you need to sleep.Goodnight G.] _

 

He smiled at the text,he throwing a quick,

 

_ [Thank you.Goodnight to you too Claire.] _

 

Before shoving his phone in his pocket,the drunk and exhausted scientist falling face first onto the couch with a groan.Gaster heard a keen beside him,the skeleton turning his face to the side to see Anada floating beside the couch,his brow bone furrowed in concern.

 

“I will move upstairs in a minute Ada.”

 

He murmured,moving his head back to face the back of the couch.The blaster keened again,the exhausted scientist feeling the weight of the blaster on the couch,then,with a soft purple glow,the blaster turned into something resembling a dog in size,and jumped up on the couch,it curling up into a ball above his skull,the tail of the blaster resting gently upon his skull.

 

Anada purred softly,the scientist closing his sockets,and with a soft sigh,drifted into a dreamless slumber.


	13. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGERS CAREFUL PEOPLE!VERY DARK AND BAD TRIGGERS NEXT CHAPTER TOO
> 
> Update:I finally tagged it,and.....woo boy......these are dark chapters.This and the next.
> 
> Tread lightly,the tags are what they are for a reason

(Will be updated later today!)


	14. Mt.Ebott

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaster breaks down.
> 
> HEAVY TRIGGERS OF SUICIDE AND CUTTING
> 
> \--  
> Hopefully this gets you guys set until chapter 15

When he awoke later,cracking his eye sockets open,he covered his sockets with a hand,the brightness of the sun’s rays blinding him again.

_‘I really need to shut my curtains before bed.'_

 He thought,his vision coming into focus,seeing he wasn't in fact home,but apparently in the process of going there.Gaster was in Claire’s car,the redhead’s face covered in dried tears,her brown eyes set upon the road.He said softly,voice raspy from his sickness yesterday and lack of use, 

“Hello.”

The redhead sniffled,she asking,voice cracking halfway through,

“I’m sorry you had to endure that.I thought they’d be better than that.Apparently Jared wasn't going to be cooperative like I thought he would’ve.” 

The skeleton chuckled softly,looking out the window.

“It is not your fault.”

He coughed softly,finishing, 

“You did not know how they would act,and neither did I.It did not help that I denied something that I did.”

She glanced at him,then looked back to the road,replying,

“It wasn't your fault.You have problems like a lot of us do.JJ has a lot of problems.He lost his parents in a car accident when he was thirteen,and it stayed with him since.Roy was barely a year old,and he took care of him,moving from foster home to foster home until he turned 18 and took Roy here to raise him.They’ve been here in this city for four years.I met him three years ago.He was in a rough spot and was doing a lot of bad things to help the pain of having no parents.” 

The redhead sighed softly. 

“He was just afraid you would sink too low and try something worse than cutting.”

The scientist nodded,his eye lights trained on what was outside the window.He stared until he started seeing the outskirts of the city,he finally speaking up, 

“I have been doing it for years.It was a way to punish myself for my failure,and sometimes.....sometimes it was a way to escape the pain of having no one up here like myself.It hurts to be the only one of your kind among a race that harmed you in more ways than one.But,the thing I do it for most,is because I failed my family.I left them when they needed me most.”

Gaster sighed softly,he murmuring,

“I had a another dream with my sons in it.”

Glancing over at her monster friend,she asked, 

“What happened in it?”

He muttered softly,

“I saw them in multiple scenes,with their mother.And every time it shifted,they were a bit older every time.Then I saw a human,a child.They were saving my kind,then they were killing a few of my kind,saving the rest,and finally they killed everyone.During that last one,I saw a clearing full of snow,and-”

He stopped,the skeleton taking a minute to compose himself,his breathing having quickened.The scientist calmed his breathing with a few deep breaths,wiping a few tears away in the process.

“And I saw Papyrus.”

He gasped,his chest tightening as he recalled what he had seen,

“I-I saw him.He was older,much older.He was a fully grown monster,and he was waiting in the clearing.T-the child approached,they were covered in the dust of monsters they had killed,and he told the child that he knew they were killing monsters.”

The skeleton stopped,trying to collect himself as he went to continue,he sobbing for a few minutes before he stuttered,

“He......he said h-he knew they c-could be better.Knew they could be good.He told the child he believed in them.They didn't listen and......and killed him.”

Gaster sniffled,wiping his tears away,Anada coming out from Claire’s purse to climb into his lap,the blaster purring softly in an attempt to calm his ailing master.He stroked the blasters head,the action calming him enough for him to continue,his friend asking softly before he said anything,

“How did you know it was Papyrus?”

The scientist sniffled,smiling as he covered his chest with a hand,murmuring,his eye lights locking onto her face,

“I could feel it.”

Sighing,he continued,

“After he perished,I saw Sans walk over to the scarf.He kneeled down and picked it up,holding it for a minute.He wrapped it around his neck,his eye sockets flaring with his magic.It was not one color,the blue it always has been,it was two colors of blue.Light and dark.He stood and walked away.Then the scene shifted,and I was in a golden hallway,the room bathed in what seemed to be sunlight.He stood at the end of the hall,waiting for something.The child walked into view,and I had the feeling that,like his brother,Sans would die were he was.”

He stopped,covering his mouth as he tried not to cry,his sockets swelling with tears.

 “He......he spoke with the child,telling them that they could not stop with a few monsters,that they had to kill them all.He waited for a response,but got nothing but silence.He laughed and looked around,speaking these words,’It’s a beautiful day outside,”

 The skeleton felt as though he were watching it again,this time beside Sans.The words echoed his mind in his son’s voice as he continued,

 “ ‘Birds are singing,flowers are blooming,on days like this,kids like you,should be burning in hell.’As he spoke those words,his eye lights locked on me,and he winked,and their battle began.I couldn't see the fight,but once it ended,Sans was defeated.He had a big red slash across his chest,and he moved out of the way,asking his brother if he wanted anything.”

 Inhaling sharply,his friend looking at him in concern,he continued still,

 “I ran as fast as I could over to him,and I cradled my boy.My son was dying in my arms,and I told him not to die.I.....I told him I loved him and that I missed him.He spoke to me,asking if it was me.I told him it was me,and everything faded,even the slice that should have killed him.We talked,I asked him how he was,how his brother was.”

 The skeleton monster wiped tears away,finishing,

 “He told me that his brother had tried out for the Royal Guard,which is much like a police force up here,and he had failed,but the captain of the Guard was training him to fight.Papyrus was too much a kindred spirit for the Guard,Sans told me,and he was only to be training with her for defense reasons only.Sans has two jobs,he is a sentry and a waiter at the local restaurant.I asked how their mother was......Sans said she was the Royal Scientist,and that she told them how I was the scientist before they were sent underground.He told me she has a lab in the house,much like I do at home.Then he said he had to go,and told me he loved me before fading.”

 He smiled,feeling his soul beat happily under his clothes,it humming softly in happiness.Gaster murmured,

 “I can not believe they are alright.I was so worried,and I can not believe they are still there,alright and living happily.”

 The skeleton sighed,looking back out the window,a smile on his face.

-

While he was happily looking out the window,Claire was thinking.She was asking herself why she had ever considered bringing Gaster to her friends,she should've done some sort of thinking before doing so.Her friends had been blowing her phone up with apologies since she had left,moving the unconscious skeleton from the kitchen.He had apparently gone in there for water,but something caused him to drop it and sleep sitting up,propped up against the cabinets.It was obvious he had woken up and gone there,and it was difficult to move him downstairs and into the car,as he wasn't as light as he looked,apparently skeletons weren't as light as she thought.

After she had gotten him into the car and driven away,she had been blown up by apologies and possible days to try again,but the redhead felt the damage was done.She texted them all that Jared had ruined everything,and there was no hope of possibly fixing it.Ra’houl had asked if that’s how Gaster felt,and she replied she didn't know how he felt about it all.

 She glanced over at her monster friend,who was dozing lightly against the window,humming a tune softly,the redhead asking softly,

 “Hey G?”

 His head lifted,he looking at her with a soft hum of,

 “Hmm?”

 His purple eye lights hazy and dim.Claire asked,keeping her eyes on the road,

 “I have to ask,how did you feel about meeting my friends?”

 He hummed softly,looking back out the window,murmuring a minute later,

 “Well,it could have gone better,but they were nice.Alicia was a joy,although he kept flirting with me,Ra’houl was quite nice,although soft spoken,I did not see much of Sara so I am unsure about her.Roy was a sweet little boy,at times he reminded me of Sans when he was young,and Jared.....”

 The scientist stopped to hum softly,his eye sockets shutting before they opened quickly,he finishing,

 “Jared could have been a bit nicer.Quite frankly,he was acting much like he had a stick up his ass.”

 She gasped,trying and failing in stifling her giggles as Gaster laughed,adding on,

 “I am being serious!He was acting much too tense,like he had something to prove!He acted much like he was afraid to get close to me,and this was after I showed them what I really was.Before that,he was quite nice.”

He fell silent for a while,it long enough to make the redhead think he had fallen asleep.But when he spoke up,she knew he wasn't asleep.

“It was nicer when he did not know frankly.Everyone else acted like I was no different than before,but Jared.......He acted much different,wary.I know he was either scared of me or did not want me around at all.It is quite upsetting,for I saw all the books lying around and could not help but think that if we spoke about science,he would have been a lot more comfortable.”

The brown eyed woman asked softly,

“Would you want to meet up with them again?”

The skeleton hummed,he murmuring softly,

“I would not mind.I just want to talk about something that is not me next time.I was quite uncomfortable with the conversation piece being myself.I do not like being the center of attention.It makes me shy and I do not like feeling like that.And as long as Jared does not try and get more deep secrets out of me.”

She looked at him,asking softly as she looked back at the road,

“What other secrets could there be?”

He chuckled sleepily,muttering with a gesture of his hand,

“Oh you know,loathing your existence for abandoning those you love.Purposely hiding the scars I make upon my arms because I do not want anyone to worry.Purposely causing myself harm sometimes because I can not stand the dark thoughts that surface.Burning my bones to feel pain purposely while working sometimes because I have a few dark thoughts stuck in my head and the pain makes them leave.”

His hands went over to feel the side of his skull,he adding on,

“Purposely cracking my skull on the table or wall or side of the tub because I can not stand looking at myself,knowing what I have done to hurt those I care for.All the lives I could have saved if I used my attacks to help instead of running away from the humans killing my kind.”

Gaster rubbed his hands,murmuring softly,

 “Watching the cracks blossom on my hands because I work so hard they chip and crack.Watching them get larger because I let them and continue working until the pain gets too unbearable.”

 Claire murmured,her eyes on the road,

 “That isn't good.You need to care of yourself if you’re going to see Sans again.”

 He chuckled darkly,yawning softly afterwards,

 “Like I will see him.It is impossible to break that barrier.”

 The redhead saw her friends house,and,knowing he needed to go there,drove past it,driving up towards the mountain.Watching his house grow smaller,the scientist murmured,

 “You passed my house.”

 “We’re going to the mountain first.”

 She replied,driving faster,headed directly up towards the road that headed up the mountain.He looked at her,asking,

 “What good will it do?All I will do is see the place my kind is trapped in!”

 She grinned,replying as the car entered the trail,

 “We’re going to see if we can free them from out here.”

\--

When Claire parked the car at the base of the mountain and asked him to follow her up,as she had hopped out of the car quickly,Gaster was hesitant,staying in the car.

“C'mon lazybones!!!”

She yelled,already partially up the trail.

“We can't figure out a way if you’re sitting in the car!!!”

He sighed,resting his head upon his hand.

“There is no point Claire.”

He said back,

“There will never be a way to free them.Why would examining it from out here be any better than from the inside?!”

Claire deadpanned,walking back to the car and saying, 

“You don't know that until you try it.”

Gaster muttered,eye lights flicking away,

 “I know it will not work.Freeing them will never happen.”

 The redhead frowns,listening as the scientist spoke,

 “It will never work no matter what we try.I have a feeling it will not.”

 He clutched his arms,looking away.

 “Let us just go home Claire.I do not want to keep looking at this place.It makes my soul hurt.”

 She nods silently,going around the car and getting back in,sitting in the silence for a moment before placing her keys into the ignition,starting the car.Claire backed the car up and began the drive back to Gaster’s house,stealing a glance at him every so often.

 The scientist stayed facing the window,his purple eye lights trained on the outside,watching the green hills roll by.He was thinking of his children and wife again,seeing them running around in the vast green before him.He knew it was hopeless to try and free them.

 The bright sunlight shone through the fluffy white clouds that littered the blue sky,making one of the most beautiful days to date that he had seen,but the beautiful day wasn't in his interests,his mind floating elsewhere.

 What would Sans be doing now?What was Papyrus doing now?What was Cee doing?Were they all in the living room watching tv,or were they going to their jobs,in Papyrus’s case training?Gaster sighed softly,watching the green hills roll by,his eye lights dim.

 It was hard being here,no one like himself up here,no one to truly talk to without receiving pity.He just wanted to hole himself back up in his lab and work,watching his hands crack and chip,pieces breaking off as he worked them hard.

The scientist rubbed his hands together,already feeling the pain.How could humans stand this much pain?How do they make it look so easy to deal with?

-

“Here we are.”

 Claire said as the car pulled into Gaster’s driveway,she then looking over at the scientist.He smiled,saying,

 “Thank you.I will see you later.”

 And opened the car door,shutting it behind him,walking quickly towards his home,waving at his friend before entering his home.He listens to the car pull away,finally allowing himself to drop the smile.The scientist locked his door,walking through his living room and over towards the stairs,climbing them with a goal in mind.

 Entering his bedroom,Gaster removed his hoodie,tossing it to the floor,his shirt,shoes,pants and underwear following,the scientist walking into his bathroom and starting a bath,watching the water slowly fill the tub.

 He felt numb,a dull ache in his chest.His mind was blank,his body feeling as though it were made of lead,sockets dark and devoid of light.

 Once the tub was full,he shut the faucet off,stepping into the warm water and settling himself down,leaning on the wall with a sigh.The skeleton sat in the bath,staring at the ceiling,his thoughts swarming him like sharks in bloody water.

 Gaster felt his emotions swirl,the good fading as the bad enveloped him,the scientist tearing up and starting to sob softly,his hands coming up to cover his sockets.

 He wanted so many things,and he couldn't have them.He wanted his wife,his children,his friends,everything he had lost centuries ago.But now-

 He wanted nothing more than to die.

 The scientist glanced down at the grey scars on his arm,his sockets filling with tears again as his other hand came to scratch lightly at his left arm,his emotions a whirlwind in his mind,the scratching getting harder and harder as the thoughts assaulted him.Gaster began to sob loudly,scratching violently at his arm,frantic now,feeling his HP lower by a point,the thought only making him scratch harder.

 He summoned a small sharp bone,his right hand shaking as he held it over his left arm,slashing at it violently,feeling his HP drop by five points.The scientist clenched his teeth,purple tears flowing down his face freely,slicing once again at his arm,another five points dropping from his HP.With every slice,he mumbled what he thought he was,each slice dropping his HP lower and lower.

 “Deserter.”

 Slice.

 -5 HP.

 “Worthless.”

 Slice.

 -5 HP.

 “Traitor.”

 Slice.

 -5 HP.

 “Careless.”

 “Nothing.”

 “Freak.”

 “Failure.”

 “You should be _dead_!!!!”

 Gaster yelled the last sentence,slicing harshly at his arm,dropping the bone afterwards,gripping his arm.That last one hurt.He moved his hand,seeing a particularly deep cut in his arm,a small amount of dust fluttering off of his arm.The scientist wiped it off,watching it fall much like snow into the water.

 The skeleton laid back against the wall,closing his sockets.He needed to sleep.Maybe sleep would calm his raging emotions.

 He felt himself drift away,sleep enveloping him like a dark blanket.

 -

 “Gaster?”

 She called,stepping into the oddly quiet house.Claire had decided to stop by her monster friend’s house,as she had called and texted him,not receiving a reply.It had made her anxious,and,having a spare key,she had opened the door,wanting to know what he was up to.She hadn't heard anything from him since yesterday,and it scared her.

 She closed the door behind her,walking further into the quiet house.None of the lights were on,and it looked like he hadn't been up yet this morning,as the redhead always smelled fresh coffee wafting from the kitchen.

 Claire became more suspicious of the situation the further she entered the home,as she didn't see any blasters hiding out as she normally did,and Anada hadn't come to greet her as he normally did.Furrowing her eyebrows,she walked towards the stairs,climbing halfway up and calling,

 “Gaster?You there?”

 There was no response,and,as she reached the top of the stairs,the redhead saw the bedroom door open,clothes strewn about the floor.The bed was untouched,and it seemed like he wasn't here.

 Claire entered the room,looking around for her friend,only finding nothing.She stepped further into the room,looking around,the room was nice,clean and kept tidy.So,why were these clothes on the floor?

 She turned back towards the bedroom door,only to turn a bit to her left,seeing a bathroom.The redhead approached,not hearing anything,and entered quietly,looking to her right,seeing nothing,then to her left-

 “GASTER!!!!!!!!”

 Claire ran over,pulling the skeleton from under the water,holding his skull to her chest.She quickly reached for a towel hanging nearby,wrapping it around his body as she pulled him from the tub,carrying Gaster’s limp body to the bed,laying him down upon it,she was frantic,hoping he was alright.

 The redhead looked him over,not seeing anything wrong,then placing her hand over where his soul lay,feeling the soft beats under her hand.She sighed,wiping her forehead.He was alive,but….

 The brown eyed woman lifted his left arm,frowning at the sight.There were new grey marks,one in particular pretty large,the streak turning into a dust like substance when she touched it.The redhead’s eyes filled with tears,asking as she sat beside her unconscious friend,

 “Why?Why would you do this?I know it hurts G,but you have to continue.For your family.”

 Claire laid her arms upon his chest,resting her head upon them.

 “Why G?Why would you do this?You knew they were alive,so why?”

- 

_Death still hurt.Funny,he thought it wouldn't.Normally death was swift,but,he remembers falling asleep in the bathtub after-_

_Oh._

  _Well,that probably caused it.Either he had died of a slow draining HP,or he drowned.It wasn't technically possible for a skeleton to drown,but one never knew._

  _He watched the darkness,sitting alone on the floor.Or,what was supposed to be a floor.He stared out at the vast emptiness around him,purple eye lights scanning the ‘horizon.’He didn't see much of anything,but,then,something began to approach,a figure._

  _They approached until within sight,the scientist flinching at who it was._

  _Sans stood there,blue coat and all from the last time he had seen him,a frown set upon his face._

  _“dad.”_

  _The younger skeleton said,tone stern,_

  _“you shouldn't be here.why are you here?”_

  _He looked away from his son,unable to look at his scrutinizing gaze._

  _“dad.”_

  _There were footsteps,and the elder skeleton flinched,sockets closing.The steps stopped,Sans’s voice saying softly,_

  _“why are you here?”_

  _The blue cald skeleton explained,_

  _“you see dad,i’m asleep right now.it’s night down here.but i bet up there it's day,right?”_

  _Gaster nodded._

  _“then why are you here?”_

  _The scientist turned to look at his son,tears streaming down his face,unable to hold his emotions at bay,startling the younger skeleton._

  _“You would think me a coward for what I did.”_

  _He murmurs,_

  _“You would think I was pathetic.”_

  _“dad,”_

  _Sans says,stepping closer,_

  _“i won't think anything of you.just,please,tell me why you’re here.”_

  _The elder skeleton started sobbing loudly,his son approaching and kneeling down,hugging his distressed parent._

  _“dad,what’s wrong?”_

  _“S-Sans….”_

  _He murmurs,his arms wrapping around his son,clutching the skeleton close._

  _“I-I…I......I tried to d-dust myself.”_

  _Gaster felt his son freeze,the younger skeleton pulling back to look the elder skeleton in the sockets,asking softly,_

  _“why?”_

  _The scientist hugged Sans again,unable to look at him,sobbing into the blue jacket._

  _He couldn't control his emotions,and seeing his son made it worse,the overwhelming depression with not seeing him,alongside the joyous ones with seeing him clashing horribly._

_“I can not be up here anymore.”_

  _He sniffles,head resting upon his son’s chest,hearing the faint soul beats,as the blue cald skeleton wasn't truly here,but underground._

  _“I can not be up here without my family anymore.I miss you,your brother and your mother so much.I can not be up here.It hurts Sans.I hate it here.”_

  _Sans rubbed his father’s back,hugging his father close,sockets shut._

  _“dad.i know you feel like crap.but listen,”_

  _He tilted Gaster’s head up,looking his father in the sockets with a smile,shaky lavender orbs meeting white._

  _“you have to be strong ok?i know it hurts,but listen,even if me,mom and pap can't be there with you,we’re rooting for you.alright?”_

  _The elder skeleton nodded,holding his son tight.Stars,his son was an amazing monster._

  _“It hurts so much Sans.The ache,the longing I feel when I think of you three,it is such a painful feeling.It stays with me all day,and even at night.”_

  _Sans hummed softly,holding his father tight._

  _“i know dad.but listen,you can't give up.i know how it feels to want to give up and end your pain.nothing good will come from it.just bear through it and some time in the future,we’ll reunite.i know it.i can feel it in my bones.”_

  _Gaster snickers at the pun,kissing his son on the crown of his skull._

  _“I love you Sans.Do not ever forget that.”_

  _The teen skeleton nodded,kissing his dad on the skull._

  _“alright you,time for you to wake up.i have some quality snoozing to do,and you have to start your day.”_

  _He hugged the elder skeleton tight once more before standing,smiling down at his dad._

  _“i’ll see you later dad.love you.”_

  _The scientist smiles,waving._

  _“I love you too Sans.”_

 -

His sockets cracked open,not blinded by sunlight this time,the skeleton groaning softly as he turned his head to the right,seeing his bedroom door open.His brow bone furrowed.When did he leave the bathroom?Gaster sat up with a soft groan,his left arm burning with pain.

Upon looking over,the scientist got a cruel reminder that he wasn't alone at all,as he saw Claire lay beside him,her face streaked with dry tears,her hand holding his.He had seriously screwed up,and he knew it.

He regretted ever thinking of what he had done,regretted doing it as well,but that wouldn't fix the scars,and neither would hating himself for his actions.With a soft sigh,the scientist removed his hand from his friend’s,his right hand glowing a soft green.He had to heal his HP and the wound before it flaked anymore dust.

Placing his hand over the deep gash,Gaster watched as it slowly healed,his HP climbing up to it's full capacity.He looked at the gash once he was done,and saw that it was a large grey mark,stretching across the length of his arm in a diagonal line.

It was very disturbing to look at,especially because the intent he had behind it was to either dust himself or strike himself until the pain went away.Neither happened,and the scientist regretted telling his son about it.

Gaster began to tear up,head lowering into his hands.Stars,why had he told Sans about it?Why?Now Sans knew what he had done,and how much he had actually wanted to do so.And,the blue cald skeleton had only supported him,telling him that he and the rest of his family were rooting for him,that they were behind him although they weren't here. 

The reminder of his son being so supportive warmed his soul,filling him with sense of relief.The scientist was glad that they were waiting for him,encouraging every step he made.But the warmth wasn't enough to stop his tears.

Gaster began to sob harder and louder,the scientist laying on his side and curling into a ball,hugging his knees and shoving his face into his pillow.All he wanted to do was see his sons and wife again.That’s all he wants.So why.......why couldn't he have that?Out of everything he wants,why couldn't he have this one thing?

Why couldn't he see his family again?

The next thing the skeleton knew,was that there was a blinding light,then,darkness.

 -

_It seems he was back in the darkness again.He looked down at his hands,catching sight of what he was wearing,being a purple turtleneck,black pants and black shoes.There wasn't anything different than last time,although there was some speaking in the background._

_Gaster stood,walking in the direction of the noise,and when he got close enough,he saw Sans was speaking with someone.They were tall,wore a blue scarf,had a loud voice that sounded awfully like-_  

_His sockets widened._  

_There,right in front of Sans,was Papyrus.Just as he had seen him in the other dream._

_Sans stopped talking,turned his head a bit to the side,and then turned back to Papyrus,speaking quickly with the taller brother.The blue and grey cald skeleton tried to look around his older brother,but the shorter of the two wouldn't let him.The words between the two were lost to Gaster,and all he could think was,_

_‘My son,the one I have never met,is right there.’_

_Sans looked back again,this time his face angry,the skeleton stomping heatedly towards his father,forgetting all about Papyrus,and hissed,taking the purple fabric into his fist,_

  _“dad.you need to leave.now.”_

  _The scientist was unable to reply,only able to reach forward and clutch his son’s sleeves,expression melding into one of anguish._

  _“S-Sans…..”_

  _He murmurs,watching the anger melt from his son’s face.His son,the one he had never met,was right there,only a few feet away.He was so close.He could meet him.He could speak with him._

  _He could meet his son he hadn't even seen born._

  _“I…..I can not….”_

  _Gaster lets out a soft sob,his head dropping low.He was so close!He’s right there!!_

  _“I can not......not anymore…….”_

  _Sans carefully brought his father down to the ground,pulling the upset scientist close,rubbing a hand over his skull,the elder skeleton’s skull rested over the younger’s soul._

  _“dad......”_

  _He murmurs softly,_

  _“i told you it’s alright.we’re behind you.”_

  _“Sans......I....I hurt my friend.She found me......”_

  _The blue cald skeleton froze,sockets dark as he listened._

  _“Claire.....she found me in the tub.I-I think she took me out of it......”_

  _Sans’s eye lights returned,rubbing his father’s skull soothingly,hoping to calm his ailing parent._

  _“dad,it’s ok.i bet she understands-”_

  _“She does not!”_

  _There was silence,then,Gaster spoke._

  _“She does not.She is human Sans.She could never understand.”_

  _The scientist curled into a ball,halfway on his son’s lap,halfway on the ground.He couldn't take it anymore.It hurt._

  _“She will never understand.I saw thousands die.Thousands slaughtered.I watched your mother go underground with you.I promised I would be back.”_

  _He chuckled humorlessly,curling closer to his son,his eye sockets dark._

  _“I never came back.A human knocked me unconscious.I woke up covered in dust and ash.I went to the house,and I saw it was ransacked.Everything inside destroyed.I was lucky the pictures were not burned or gone.I spent years fixing everything.I stayed inside for years.I rarely left.I put my faith in a human,befriended one.He died years later,along with his family.He had showed me how caring humans can be.”_

  _He sniffled,curling his legs further against his chest._

  _“I met a human woman when I decided to resurface in the world.She showed me compassion and still does.She found me in the bathroom,and if she had not,I don't know what would have happened.”_

  _“dad......”_

  _Sans murmurs,_

  _“i know you’re feeling pretty horrible.but,this claire,she and us,we’re here for you.”_

  _“Sans.....I can not stand not seeing you all anymore.”_

  _Gaster sobs,tears falling down his face,unable to keep the longing and empty feeling in his chest from entering his voice,_

  _“I can not!It hurts all the time,and I can not take such an ache anymore!It pains me to see you,to think of you,and that dream when you-”_

  _He fell silent,unable to say what he was thinking.He didn't want to ever see that again._

  _“I.....I felt as though a piece of me had died.It hurt......so much.....”_

  _The scientist finally allowed himself to cry.Finally allowed the aches and pains that kept him up at night to come fourth,manifest and come out.There was only silence and reassuring rubs that kept him grounded,Sans smiling softly at his father._

  _It was nice to see his long lost parent,although his dad was a bit screwed up.He didn't mind.He’d heard from his mom about what she experienced during the war,and,hearing his dad’s side,it gave him both perspectives._

  _He just wished his dad was with them._

  _“Sans?”_

  _Gaster looked up,seeing Papyrus a few feet from them,looking hesitant._

  _“Who’s that?”_

  _Sans looked in his brother’s direction quickly,having forgotten all about him._

  _“t-this is.....”_

  _“And why are you holding him?”_

  _Papyrus’s eyes shine with curiosity._

  _“Is he someone you know?!”_

  _The older brother murmurs,_

  _“y-yea......but listen pap-”_

  _“Wowie!!!!”_

  _He kneels next to his brother,saying,_

  _“Hello!I am Papyrus!Who are you?”_

  _Gaster reaches a hand out,in awe,and says softly,voice a bit hoarse,_

  _“I-I am G-Gaster.”_

  _The taller skeleton looks shocked,then,he asks softly,looking at Sans as he reigned in his expression,_

  _“What was our dad’s name?What did mom say he was named?”_

  _The older brother looked nervous,sweat dripping down his skull._

  _“why?i don't see why we need to-”_

  _“Sans.”_

Papyrus interrupted,looking stern.

_“What did mom say he was named?”_

_The blue cald skeleton murmurs softly,_

  _“he was named gaster.”_

  _The taller skeleton kneeled there in thought,a big smile soon emerging on his face.He leaned close to the scientist,saying with a big grin,_

  _“Hello dad.”_

  _Gaster was in shock for a minute,shocked that he was speaking to his son,and shocked to feel the bursting aura of the orange soul his son had,the magic warm and soothing to his aching soul.When he got over his initial shock,he teared up,reaching for Papyrus and saying,needing more than anything to feel his son,_

  _“Papyrus.......”_

  _Papyrus grabbed his father under the arms and pulled him off of Sans,the elder skeleton kneeling before his youngest son and hugging him tight.He needed this,needed to feel his younger son,the one he never met until now,the one he hadn't seen brought into this world,the son whose entire life he missed._

  _“I.....”_

  _He sniffles.Stars,his son’s soul is warm,his magic nothing but caring as its aura enveloped him._

  _“I honestly never thought I would ever see you.”_

  _Gaster pulls back,looking his younger son over,wiping his tears away with one hand._

  _“You look good.”_

  _He laughs softly._

  _“Well,I did not see you born,so I have not seen you at all honestly.”_

  _The scientist smiles,tears once again welling in his sockets._

  _“Stars it is good to see you.I wish I had seen you grow up.”_

  _Papyrus lets out a soft ‘nyeh’ and hugs his father._

  _“It’s ok dad!All that matters is that you’re here now!I love you,no matter what!”_

  _“I love you too Papyrus.”_

  _He says,clutching his son tight._

  _“dad.”_

  _Sans murmurs,the two skeletons looking at him._

  _“you ought to go.won’t your friend be missing you?”_

  _The elder skeleton makes a frustrated noise,and says heatedly,clutching his younger son tight,_

  _“Stars be damned if she is missing me.You two are my family.”_

  _Gaster smiles fondly._

  _“And if I had to choose between being there and being with you two and your mother,I would choose you three anyday.”_

  _Papyrus smiles and hugs his father again,pulling away gently._

  _“Dad,if you have someone who is missing you,you need to go see them.I bet they miss you too.”_

  _The youngest skeleton stands and helps his father to his feet,giving him a one armed hug._

  _“I bet they need you too.But listen dad,”_

  _He continues,resting a hand on his father’s shoulder,_

  _“We’ll be here for you every step of the way!I believe in you!”_

  _The scientist smiles,placing a hand on top of Papyrus’s._

  _“I am proud of you both.”_

  _He pulls Sans close and hugs his two boys,pulling back after a minute._

  _“I love you both so much.I am so proud of the two monsters you both have become.I promise that one day we will reunite.I will do everything in my power to do so.”_

  _With the final words of,_

  _“stay determined dad.”_

_And,_

  _“I believe in you dad!”_

_Gaster smiles,waving goodbye to his sons._

-

Cracking his sockets open,Gaster groans softly,right hand coming up to clutch his head.There’s a soft tap on his head,and the skeleton lowers his hand,lifting his head to look in the direction of the tapping.

 Claire was watching him,her brown eyes trained on him as she murmurs softly,her head laid upon her arms,

 “Hey.”

 The scientist is silent for a moment,a soft smile adorning his face.

 “Hi.”

 She shifts,lying closer to her monster friend.

 “You alright?”

 Claire says softly,

 “You scared me pretty badly.”

 Gaster chuckles,without humor.

 “I know.I am sorry.”

 He laid back down and curled into a ball.

 “I am sorry you had to see that.”

 The scientist closed his sockets.

 “I wish you had never seen that.You should have never seen it.”

 A hand on his arm causes him to open his sockets and look back,seeing Claire giving him a soft look.

 “Don't worry about it.As long as you’re alright,I don't mind.”

 He frowned,laying his head back upon the pillow with a sigh.

 “I am alright now.”

 A fond smile pulls itself onto Gaster’s face.

 “I spoke with my sons.”

 “You did?!What did they say?!”

 A few tears drip down the side of the skeleton’s face,a soft chuckle leaving him.

 “They told me to be strong.They told me I can do anything.”

 He sniffles,wiping a few tears away.

 “Papyrus.......he told me he believed in me.He told me he loved me,along with Sans.They said they are rooting for me.”

 Claire smiles,her brown eyes sparkling.

 “They sound amazing.I bet they’ll love you even more when you finally reunite with them.”

 Gaster chuckled,wiping more tears away with the back of his hand,his sockets opening,purple eye lights bright.

 “I bet.”

 With a few sniffles,he sat up,but then blanched,quickly covering himself with his blanket.

 “How long have I been here without clothes?!”

 The redhead says nonchalantly,

 “A few hours.Why?”

 He blushed a deep lavender,stuttering,

 “C-can you leave?!I need to dress!”

 She smirks,playfully,and gets off the bed,walking towards the door,her parting words being,

 “Hey,I don't know why your panties are in a twist,there’s nothing there to look at.”

 A frustrated yell was her reply,the brown eyed woman ducking behind the door as a shoe came flying at her.

 “Shut up!Go wait downstairs!”

 She laughed,heading down the stairs,finally finding Anada,the blaster sitting on the couch,looking up with a soft purr.Claire sat next to the blaster,reaching over to pet the skeletal companion,a smile on her face.

 “He’s alright.”

 She mutters softly to the blaster,rubbing his head,moving to scratch his chin,the blaster closing his sockets.

 “G is just a bit depressed.He was thinking irrationally.He’s ok now though.”

 The blaster whined softly,nudging her hand,a sad croon his response.He knew his master had tried to do something bad,as the magical creature was connected to his master.

 Suddenly,there’s a crash,and Gaster shouts from upstairs,another blaster,looking like Anada,rushing down the stairs,holding a turtleneck in it’s mouth.The scientist was quick to follow down the stairs,fully clothed aside from what the blaster held,anger written across his face.

“Antic!!Get over here!Give me that this instant!!” 

The blaster,named Antic,gave him a mischievous look over his shoulder,darting out the backdoor,forcing the skeleton to follow with a pop.A few moments later,he teleported back into the living room,holding the blaster,turtleneck now on and straight.

Claire snickers,reaching over to pet the blaster,it wagging its tail happily,the monster scowling.

“He’s cute.”

“He is not cute.Do not pet him for being bad.”

Antic whines,small skeletal paws pressing gently against Gaster’s chest,trying to move himself over to be pet by Claire.The redhead was happy to oblige,rubbing the smooth skull of the blaster gently.

The skeleton monster scowls the whole time,unhappy with the blaster’s behavior.Anada crooned,hopping off the couch to rub himself on the scientist’s leg,looking up with a sympathetic expression.Looking down at his other blaster,he replies,

“I am not leaving him running about.”

He croons softly,the skeleton frowning further.

“Ada,I refuse to leave you here with Antic,and taking him into public is not a good idea.”

He sighed,pinching his brow bone.

“I will take you both,but your brother will behave,or he will stay home guarding the house with the other blasters.”

Antic growls,Gaster turning to him to snap,

 “No backtalk you.Either this,or you stay here.”

The blaster grumbles,nodding.Placing the feisty blaster on the floor,he says,

“Good.Maybe I will get you a snack if you behave the entire day.”

Antic purrs,nudging the skeleton monster with his skull,tail wagging quickly,thumping against their legs.

 “C'mon G.....he's cute!”

 “If you think mischief is cute…..”

 He mumbles,rolling his eye lights,making his human friend giggle.

 “He is though.”

 “Not when he is stealing my clothing and running about,getting it dirty.”

 Claire gave Gaster a glare,the skeleton glaring right back.

 “You’re set on this aren't you?”

 “I am.Antic is a troublemaker,and this is most of the reason he is not summoned.He causes mayhem and keeps me from working.”

 “And that's a bad thing?”

 She snaps,the redhead’s eyebrows furrowed in frustration.Setting Antic on the floor,the tall,7’2” monster replies,just as heated,

 “Yes!I do not need his childish antics,especially now!”

 The twenty two year old huffed,crossing her arms.

 “You're unbelievable.”

 “As are you.”

 She laughed,shoving the skeleton gently,earning a laugh from him as well.

 “You're worse.”

 “You are plenty worse than I am,and that is obvious.”

 “Shut up.”

 Gaster strode towards the kitchen,heading for the coffee maker,beginning the process to make coffee.

 “Come make me.You can not silence a mouth like mine.”

 Turning to look at her,he let out a yelp of surprise,ducking as a pillow came flying at his head,hitting the cabinet where his head had just been.Claire’s laughter rang out through the house,the skeleton standing up and giving her a scowl,summoning a hand to toss the pillow back,the soft black material hitting her directly in the face. 

It was the skeleton monster’s turn to laugh,he letting out loud reverberating laughter,his smooth and deep voice echoing the walls of the kitchen.

“I got you!!”

He crows,hunched over and pointing in her direction,tears welling in his sockets from how hard he was laughing.

Today was going to be good.


	15. The Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THE LONG AWAITED CHAPTER 15,WHERE SHIT GETS GOOD
> 
> Hang on for the ride,and holy balls you better be prepared!
> 
> Gaster will be known as Lavender for the rest of the story,as this is my Lavy,and its been a whole 171 pages since I started this story.It's been great,and-
> 
> -cracks knuckles-
> 
> Lets get into the main arc.
> 
> -Skele

It had been about a month since Claire brought him to the mountain,and in that time,he had many trips to it himself,Gaster surveying the top for any indications that he could free his race.There were things here and there he picked up on,writing them down furiously as he found everything out,summoned hands taking notes hastily.

 

When he wasn't out at the mountain,without Claire’s knowledge of course,the skeleton was with his human companion and her friends.Well, _ their _ friends.They had made up with the group,Jared’s behavior forgiven and pushed out of the way,to not be thought of.

 

The monster found out a lot about his new friends,and,in the scientific mindset he has,took mental notes of them and what he learned:

 

JJ,aka Jared Jakes.He's funny and a goof,enjoys video games and science.Looks at science through video games and can explain a lot of games and science through it.He has depression and can relate to losing his family as he lost his family to a car accident and all he has is his 8 year old brother named Roy.He’s really open with the skeleton a lot and they discuss science frequently.Gaster and Jared talk about his likes,and he’s quite relaxed most of the time.Jared isn’t fond of his occasional cutting,and often they will talk quietly about it.Sad when talking about his parents,soul is yellow,Justice.

  
  


Roy is a very friendly little boy,and loves trains and planes.He enjoys coloring and playing with his older brother JJ.They will play video games and hang out often,but when he meets someone new he’s quite shy.He will eventually open up,and he’ll play with the person.He enjoys playing with his brother’s friends,and they all enjoy his optimism,and his goofy nature.He often jumps on the bed and runs around the house,enjoying when people chase him.He likes the scientist,and asks if he can play with him often.Soul is orange,Honesty.

 

Sara,a Japanese,outgoing and sciency,who has problems with her self esteem and feeling like she's pretty or not a waste of space.Also loves many animes and is deeply in touch with her native country as well as America,is very talkative and funny,likes to talk a lot about science with Gaster and ask him about his species,as she's very interested.Soul is purple,Perseverance,

 

Ra’houl,nicknamed Ra or Ra Ra as teasing,a mix of Native American and Russian,who loves to dance and enjoys many types of music.Likes science and technology,is a hacker.Very good with tech.Has problems with family as they call him a mutt because his mom and dad are two different ethnicities,dad is Russian and mom is Native American.Otherwise very funny and goofy.Likes to joke with Gaster.Can be silent and intimidating.Soul is light blue,Patience.

 

And Alicia,a gay male who enjoys drag and loves to flirt with Gaster.He's very outgoing and fun,often loving to try and help others with dress choices.He enjoys talking to others about anything,and is very sweet and kind,but secretly has bad depression because his family rejected him for being a gay male who dresses in drag.Lots of depression with that,and talks to the skeleton and the others about his problems and they help a lot.They often talk about fashion.Soul is blue,Integrity.

 

Along with all this,Claire and her friends gave him a nickname,since they all have one,titling him Lavender.

 

According to Alicia,he smells like lavender,and when he said that,it received a bright blush of his namesake upon his cheekbones.

 

In Gaster’s opinion,it's also because he likes the color purple,especially since his magic is the color.He also has an extensive collection of many sweaters in many shades of light purple,a few in darker shades.

 

The nickname is new,even now,but it’s something he enjoys.

 

-

 

“Goodbye Claire!”

 

Gaster called,waving to his redheaded friend,who waved back,her car full of friends waving back,all calling goodbye to the skeleton monster.

 

“Bye Lavender!”

 

Alicia called sweetly,blowing a kiss,his way of a goodbye,Ra’houl and the others calling the same goodbye,the car driving away,back towards the city.

 

Looking down at Anada and Antic,he gestured for the blasters to follow him,the skeleton monster striding up the driveway towards his home,reaching for the door and opening it,stating happily as he shut the door behind them,

 

“Ada,we are going back up to the mountain today.”

 

He crooned unhappily,pointing out the problems with this,and how unhappy Claire would be if she knew,all in his gaze,Antic crooning happily and bouncing along beside them.

 

“Oh hush.”

 

He replies,brushing his companion off,jogging up the stairs and into his bedroom,searching for his satchel,Anada’s brother trotting happily after him,rushing up the stairs after their master.

 

“I am sure I am close.Once I find a way,or a breakthrough,I will tell Claire,and we shall both be working on it!”

 

He bent down to check under the bed,eye lights lighting up once he spotted it,reaching under and snatching the strap,pulling it out.

 

Kneeling,he swung it over his shoulder before standing,brushing his clothes off and heading for the closet.Opening the doors,he pulled a black backpack off the floor,swinging it over his shoulder,now heading for the stairs,taking them two at a time,as to get down faster.

 

Antic was hot on his heels,loudly crooning,tail wagging,and jumping onto Lavender’s shoulders.

 

“Behave you.”

 

The skeleton mutters the the blaster,eye lights giving a soft glare as the blaster nuzzled his skull.

 

“I shall leave you here if you do not behave.”

 

Anada croons again,sitting right in front of the door,an obvious pout upon his muzzle,as the monster approached the wooden door.

 

“Anada,do not make this difficult.”

 

He warns,lavender eye lights glaring at his companion,

 

“I will move you if need be.”

 

The blaster huffed,eye sockets narrowing as he stared at his master.Defiance was clear upon his face,the skeleton not the least bit amused by this.

 

“Ada,please move.”

 

He sighed,sockets shutting as he pinched his brow bone,

 

“I do not want to force you,but please,you out of all of us know how important this is to me.”

 

Anada crooned softly,tail twitching,a silent beg to not go alone,to not go without Claire.With a soft sigh,Lavender raised his hand,blue magic enveloping the blaster,lifting the creature off the floor,he striding forward and opening the door,bringing the defiant blaster with him through it before he shut it.

 

“I am sorry Ada,but we are going.”

 

The blaster huffs,refusing to look at him,he giving a soft sigh as he teleported,appearing one hundred feet from his house,doing so once again and again,getting closer to the mountain the more he did so.

 

With a pop,he appears at the base of the mountain,soft puffs of breath escaping him,the skeleton monster placing Anada onto the ground and hunching over to catch his breath.

 

“A-a bit…..ah…..t-tired….”

 

It was just about summertime,and recently the heat had skyrocketed,today somewhere in the high nineties to early one hundreds,added with the exhaustion of teleporting so far,it took a bit out of him.Skeleton’s were mostly impervious to heat,but exhaustion and use of magic made it a bit hot to him.

 

Wiping a bit of sweat from his brow bone,Lavender begins his hike up the mountain,Antic hopping from his shoulders to run around beside them,Anada silently pacing himself beside the skeleton monster.

 

Lavender eye lights flicked over at the blaster,said blaster looking back,he giving a sigh and murmuring softly,

 

“Ada,I have to keep this a secret,she would not agree with this as you do.”

 

The blaster glanced away,before nodding,a silent forgiveness,before they heard Antic crooning and bouncing about happily,which made the skeleton roll his eye lights,both himself and Anada running up the steep path to catch up,they swiftly approaching the area they had been inspecting for a while.

 

They caught the other blaster bouncing atop a small mound of dirt,crooning and purring,before stopping to paw at the dirt,the trio watching it fall away into a hole,the skeleton and blasters looking down inside.

 

The hole seemed to be bottomless,it quite dark inside,Lavender reaching down to gather a few small rocks into his hand,he looking to both blasters before dropping the stones into the hole,the trio listening for the sounds that they hit the bottom,but it was never heard.He pulled a notebook from his satchel,along with a pen,before he started writing things down,occasionally kicking a few rocks into the hole,replicating his experiment.

 

It was the same result each time,no noise after about a few seconds,the occasional clack against the hole walls from the start of the drop the only noises until it was out of hearing range.It was a hole over one hundred feet deep,which was strange.He would have noticed this over the many years he’s lived here,but he missed it.How?

 

He stood nearby the hole,taking notes on his observations until he heard Anada crying out for help,he stashing the notebook away before he rushed over to the hole,snatching his beloved blaster friend from falling,Antic’s tail clutched tightly in the blaster’s mouth.

 

“Antic are you insane?!”

 

Lavender screeched,panicked,as now his body was halfway into the hole,his beloved blasters dangling inside,feet digging into the dirt to keep them all from tumbling inside.

 

“I have told you to be careful have I not?!”

 

The blaster whined,trying to get back up,he in turn shaking them all,the scientist’s feet sliding on the loose dirt,he and Anada crying out,which made the blaster stop struggling.

 

“Antic please!Calm down!If you struggle,we will all fall!Calm!Down!”

 

He knew the blaster was terrified of falling from a high place,so it wasn’t easy to calm,but he had to,or else they’d all fall.He knew he had a limited window to get them back up,so he slowly began to inch backward,carefully picking up his feet one at a time and moving them back,slowly increasing the distance between himself and the hole.

 

The blasters didn't move,except from the occasional squirm from Antic,but it didn't deter him from his pulling.He nearly had Anada out of the hole when the dirt beneath his feet slid,he letting out a soft gasp,his soul feeling as if it dropped into his nonexistent stomach,he unable to stop as he slid forward,heels digging into the dirt.

 

He gripped the blaster’s tail a bit tighter,the left hand releasing him as he laid back on the ground and dug his fingers into the dirt,he growling as he pressed his fingers hard into the soft earth.His body slid into the hole,but it jerked to a stop,swinging back against the edge of the hole,he grunting softly at the impact.The scientist swiftly snapped his skull down to look into the hole,he shouting,

 

“Antic???Antic!!!”

  
Lavender heard a scared croon from Anada,which confirmed that his brother was fine,just having unsummoned from fear,the remaining blaster clinging to his leg.He sighed in relief,but looked back up when he felt his fingers slide,he pressing them harder into the earth,hoping to prolong his fate,or wait until help came.

 

_ Whenever that would be. _

 

He looked down,the skeleton swallowing the lump in his throat,he asking softly,

 

“Anada?”

 

Hearing the quizzical croon,he closes his sockets,taking a breath in before he opens them,lavender eye lights staring at the adjacent side of the hole.

 

“I do not think we are getting out of this hole.In….in the circumstance that we fall,I want you to know that I care about you so much.You and your brother are the best thing I have summoned,and I am glad to have known you,as well as having been your companion,and master.”

 

Anada croons sadly,but deeply appreciated the words,he crooning sadly and nuzzling his leg.He smiles,ignoring the dread of feeling his fingers slide more,near the edge now,his free hand coming to pet the blaster’s skull.

 

“I love you too Anada.You have truly been my best friend.”

 

He hears another croon,he sadly basking in the moment,in which he truly appreciated the comfort and companionship,which he’s had since he was a babybones.He truly loved his companions,truly did and always would,as they were his best friends and first summoned magical weapons.He would always cherish them,he never wou-

 

The ground beneath his hand gave out,Lavender’s eye lights shrinking in his sockets,he quickly watching the sun above vanish into darkness,as everything went black.


End file.
